Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 8 2017/18
Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 8. The boring Premier League returns after another exhilarating feast of international football. We now have to wait until early-November for our next international break fix and instalment of thrilling matches; it’s a real shame to see world-class players being taken from their countries, purely for the sake of serving their mandatory club duties, ugh. Let’s distract ourselves from the impending mundane month by guessing which players will perform best for their irrelevant and depressing clubs.
Harry Kane vs Bournemouth (H)
This is the one name whose omission would cause major disapproval. Reflecting on the mesmerising international break above, it was Kane who shone for England, at least on the scoresheet. I didn’t actually watch these must-see matches due to, erm, severe illness. The penalty duties for his country have permeated into his part-time club antics and this only bolsters his appeal for the captaincy this weekend.
Bournemouth are currently second-bottom and have conceded 8 goals in their last 4 matches. That, for those of lesser intellectual acuity, results in a mean average of 2 goals per match. How fitting: the 6 goals that Kane has bagged so far have come in 3 braces, all away from their temporary home. This fixture reeks of another one. Even though Spurs are playing at Wembley…
Now’s the moment where I usually take a customary swing at Kane’s inability to speak. I’ll just emphasise instead that he’s the man you’d probably captain if your English translator had a gun pressed to their head. Eriksen, who also scored twice over the delightful international break, wouldn’t be a bad alternative!
Form: 8
Fixture: 8
Explosiveness: 8
Jamie Vardy vs West Brom (H)
Ok, so Kane doesn’t cut it for you, so how about a similar forward, on penalties, with a strong home fixture? I give you all Vardy: the Fox who’s nicked a goal in 3 of his last 4 matches. It was Bournemouth, ironically, that managed to stop him from scoring in his 4th consecutive match; a missed penalty against Liverpool subtly masks his potency.
West Brom’s last pair of away matches, against Arsenal and Brighton, have seen them lose 2–0 and 3–1 respectively. I rate Vardy’s individual Monday Night Football chances, but Leicester themselves haven’t won any of their last 5 matches, so this carries a high element of risk.
Form: 6
Fixture: 7
Explosiveness: 6
Alexis Sanchez vs Watford (A)
Throwback to August last year, late on in the month, when Arsenal visited Vicarage Road last. I was out at Leeds Fest on the night after the match. Arsenal won 3–1 and I was ecstatic, until checking my FPL team, when I saw Sanchez had racked up a goal and a pair of assists. I didn’t have him and, in a moment of drunken panic, played my WC to accommodate him. That was over another fun international break, incidentally, and he was benched the following gameweek due to jet lag. That’s one to look out for! Sanchez has already scored a crucial winner for Chile, against Ecuador, and still has to play Brazil as I write this. His game-time is far from secure.
Watford have only ever felt defeat against Arsenal at Vicarage Road in Premier League affairs. Arsenal have strung 3 wins and a draw together, as well as Europa League victories in between, and look primed to score another couple here. Sanchez has only played a full 90 minutes once so far — in his last match — but he’s gathering momentum now, providing an assist in each of his last pair of appearances, showing hunger in the second half against Brighton that I once feared we’d never see again.
If you happen to have him instead of Kane, or just feel reckless, this may well be a great differential captaincy. Watch this guy burst onto the scene and likely cause mayhem on the forum this weekend. Lacazette, to cover my arse, is a potential alternative. I’d steer clear though, on the basis that he hasn’t yet scored away from home.
Form: 6
Fixture: 6
Explosiveness: 6
Eden Hazard vs Crystal Palace (A)
This is the one name that I’ll truly fear this weekend. He’s another seasoned but expensive midget midfielder with an away fixture that primes him for an explosive return into the FPL picture. Hazard was instrumental when Chelsea beat Atletico 2—1 during their Champions League away fixture and his pedigree is almost unrivalled. Alonso, when playing away, is a shout. He’s already scored two braces in away matches, last season against Leicester and Spurs this time, so this could be a car crash for his opposition.
Crystal Palace don’t need much of an introduction. I think even San Marino would be slightly embarrassed for Woy and his boys. Benteke, Zaha, Townsend and co. must feel somewhat like Reek in a brothel; the Eagles can’t finish anything. It’s hard to see anything but a comfortable Chelsea win to nil here.
Form: 4
Fixture: 8
Explosiveness: 7
David Silva vs Stoke (H)
Agüero’s ghost lives on! Jesus, KDB or Sane could’ve all filled his void — and they may well do — but Silva feels like the best combination of game-time and points output, the former being rather unexpected when the season started. He’s played 602 minutes out of a possible 630 so far and has provided 6 assists, occurring in 4 matches, which all resulted in him receiving 2 bonus points. How’s that for consistency?
Stoke have had some very mixed results. They’ve conceded 0 to Arsenal but 4 to Chelsea so far; one thing that’s been consistent is City’s annihilation of their opposition. They’ve won their last 4 matches by an aggregated scoreline of 17-0 and that makes them even better than the opposite of Crystal Palace right now. Disclaimer: this fixture last season fell in a DGW and City disappointed us all with a 0-0 draw. I’d be amazed if the same occurs on Saturday afternoon.
Form: 7
Fixture: 8
Explosiveness: 7
Good luck when choosing your favourite! Have a great weekend.
Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 8
This article was written by James777Simpson.
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Gameweek Tracker GW8-11
Great article James. Many thanks.
I may well end up with four of those players on WC.
FF247 league 3 head to head league is getting very tight.
Just 3 points seperate the top 12 teams
Thats what we like to see H, a good old battle for promotion.
I’m in 6th there Horse 😉 May the battle commence!
Game on Milburn ??
I’ve snuck in there at 12th but Mitro and my colab Team is in 11th not sure what I’ll wish for when the two play each other…
Don’t worry we can take a hit to help you out
Excellent…
Which combo will u prefer
1. Jesus silva
2. Vardy hazard
there isn’t much wrong with Vardy and Silva.
On a WC. Who to get in for Fellaini?
0.0 ITB
Fabianski
Mee Davies Azpili Otamendi
D.Silva Fellaini* Coutinho
Jesus Kane Vardy
Elliot T.Carroll Richarlison Hunemeier
LRL,
really not much choice is there?! You’re looking for a bench player at that price mate…RLC?
RLC probably Cookie. Actually have some cash itb. You think Eriksen/Alli better than Coutinho?
LRL,
I’d be happy with Eriksen or Coutinho – in fact both should be up there among the highest scoring mids over the course of the season.
Minor point, but just so you know, Otamendi is 2 yellows away from a ban.
Cheers
Fellaini down to Stephens/RLC and then upgrade Hunemeier to a playing defender maybe Wimmer/Yedlin
What about Davis to Simpson and Fellini to Fabragas
Thanks for the article James, awesome stuff!
I’m on my wildcard atm and have been chopping and changing my team.
0.9 ITB
Thinking of upgrading Bavies to Azpi after this GW because of the tough couple of matches for spurs.. Other than that what do you think of the current team?
Cheers
I’m not a fan of the cheap 3rd forward personally but no reason it can’t work if that’s the balance you prefer. Guessing you’ll just pick 2 from 3 every week from him, Stephens and Chopper?
I will play choupo every GW after city, Joselu next week against palace, Stephens will always be on the bench, and Ward and Naughton will rotate
Or this..
Probably this if it’s a 4 at the back job.
Cheers init
Hi guys,
Have 2.1 ITB and 2 FT,
Thinking of morata to Jesus ..but not sure yet
And perhaps mkhi to silva?
Or downgrade mkhi to Richarlison and upgrade A defender?
Thanks in advance for your expert feedback!
LSD
Nice team, I’d be thinking about getting City cover (Silva/Jesus) and how you’ll get in for L’pool Salah/Mane/Countinho) cover after their next two games.
You’ve got 2m ITB, so your Mkhi downgrade to finance def upgrade seems unnecessary.
I’m planning on holding Morata, but seem to be in the heavy minority. I don’t see the need to drop Mkhi just yet.
I’d probably just sort your bench out. Upgrade Gamez to someone who plays or replace Chalobah and keep the other FT for next week.
Marco,
Thanks City cover is my sentiments exactly..im just worried Jesus doesnt get the game time because of internationals…
Thanks!
I’d be happy enough to lump on City with your first two proposed moves.
inittowinit
So
1.) Morata to Jesus
2.) Mkhi to Silva?
Thanks!
Yes, both.
Thinking Gross -> Hogg & Naughton -> Azpi
Thinking Azpi could absolutely kill it over coming weeks.
Then possibly Mkhi to Silva next week.
Problems with this:
– 3x 4.5m MFs. 5-2-3 forced
– No L’pool coverage
– Morata injury – think he’ll miss just the one match with Palace, but there’s a small chance he plays then too?
Thoughts?
Pretty sure that Azpi will pick up clean sheets but if Morata is out, will he get any assists? A couple have been crosses to Morata’s head and the others were passes to him, so I wouldn’t see getting him in as a short term priority – strengthen your midfield a bit instead.