Fantasy Football Fixture Analysis Gameweek 3
Welcome to Fantasy Football Fixture Analysis Gameweek 3. GW2 FPL 2018/19 may now forever more be remembered as Jamie Jackson Week. There’s a fair to middling chance that prior to about 4.25pm on Friday many (most) of you will never have even heard of Jamie Jackson before. Yeah sure enough, he’s got a hallowed ‘blue tick’ on his twitter page and he’s a ‘journalist’ for The Guardian but we aren’t talking Henry Winter or Neil Custis levels of notoriety here. I’ll freely admit I didn’t have a scooby who he was either. I do now though! He’s just about the most hated person on twitter within FPL circles as we speak. Even Ben Crellin blushed. Bobby Madley’s publicist was perhaps the only person to benefit from the whole debacle, in a Tony Blair style ‘good week to bury bad news’ style.
We digress (before we get sued!)… On to this weeks Fixtures article –
My much younger, less good looking and much smaller (than Rosco, who isn’t?!) predecessor AT (don’t worry he’s not dead!) spent last week telling you all about the bleeding obvious. Gems such as ‘Man City and Liverpool are good, Newcastle are bad’ fell from his expert fantasy hands onto the keyboard. And he was correct to do so. I’ll not be so lazy though, rest assured. Maybe…
To be fair to our young whipper snapper he gave you Man City who spanked Huddersfield, Everton who were also victorious, just, and Liverpool who limped home, in a grey fashion….
Unfortunately he also advised you avoid both Newcastle and Brighton like the plague. And both went and got (relatively) positive results. Which is quite fitting really given as the mantra ‘Bloody AT’ was almost trending on site after GW1! I’m not entirely sure why it was but it seems he may have spent pre-season systematically destroying peoples teams one by one like some demented FPL version of T-1000.
I’m sure it was just a quirk of the scheduling calendar that meant I could follow up next after his every fixtures article….
Favourable Fixtures
Manchester City – Wolves (A), Newcastle (H), Fulham (H) There was a benign early passage of play, way before City even opened the scoring, it involved Ederson and Stones playing it across their own goal line, virtually. If you love football you’ll have seen it and smiled wryly as I did. It was almost Pep eating himself, such was it’s audacity and daring. The whole thing took a matter of seconds, but probably encapsulated Pep’s whole philosophy, maybe to an n’th degree that even he didn’t daren’t envisage. But it also then ballooned a while later into Ederson himself making a pinpoint through ball, an 80 yard one, for Kun’s opener. Surely the best and most deliberate assist we’ve ever seen from a keeper?
Does it really matter who they play next? Probably not, they’re streets ahead of anyone. Your main difficulty is of course second guessing which players will actually play. Fortunately that’s not our job here on Fixtures, we just point you at the correct teams! I will however give you a steer as to my own thinking on this, as a bonus (!), I have Ederson and Kun currently and I’m fixing to add Mendy to those. I’m ignoring the mids for now as it’s clearly a mine field. Mendy thinks he’s a mid anyway, so that’s good enough for me.
Arsenal – West Ham (H), Cardiff (A), Newcastle (A)
Wenger out! Oh no, hang on… we went there, did that and he left. Eventually…. Emery out?! Not quite yet. Yeah ok the first two results haven’t quite been perfect but then again neither were the fixtures. The next ones will probably tell us far more as they’re all ‘winnable’ on paper. And it’s not just the next 3 either, Emery and co go all the way until GW11 now until they next meet one of the Big 6. They have a clear run now, as such. Make of it what you will but GW’s 3 to 10 will be definitive for them and also perhaps Emery himself.
West Ham at home is probably just the tonic they need right now as Pellegrini’s men have shipped 6 in 2 games and only scored 1 in response, and that was from the penalty spot. A couple of away trips follow but neither looks particularly daunting.
If you deliberately swerved the Gunners for their opening couple of games then that was probably wise but you can start to look at them as viable options from here on in. Certainly from an attacking point of view anyway. Personally I’d take a rain check on their defenders for now, until they all get their heads around this playing out from the back thing, or at least until Cech does finally stick one in his own net and is inevitably forced to pick up his walking stick and wander off into the distance like Grandpa from The Simpsons, muttering ‘bloody kids’ under his breath.
Chelsea – Newcastle (A), Bournemouth (H), Cardiff (H)
Would Sir like sauce on that? Sometimes the devil is in the detail. Or so it seems in football management. Seemingly, something as simple as reintroducing ketchup to the lunch service can reinvigorate an entire squadron of men these days. I’m being slightly facetious of course but ketchup is the new word for ‘fun’ in modern football management parlance. If the manager allows it he’s perceived as the relaxed type, if he doesn’t then he’s a disciplinarian. And so cyclical are these things that replacing the ‘no sauce’ Conte with the more ‘saucy’ Sarri was the logical step.
Whether it is indeed sauce, or simply the fresh approach from a manager known for his attacking style, the players certainly seem to have embraced it and they have 2 wins out of 2 under their belts now and 3 goals in each game. Even Morata has scored. Miracle sauce?
If you’re looking for cheap options who play for a top side then you could do worse than look at the likes of Luiz and Pedro right now. Alonso carries a more premium label but if the hype is to be believed then he’s more than likely going to score a lot more than most mids or even forwards who cost the same. You’d have to imagine that Hazard may just embrace playing in a free flowing Sarri side too.
Best of the rest
Crystal Palace – Watford (A), Southampton (H), Huddersfield (A)
This is just a heads up really that you have 6 weeks of Palace bliss, if you choose to accept it, and then 5 weeks of hell. Well ok, probably not hell, but it’s all relative. After the above 3 games Woy also leads his twoops into games against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Wolves. And then things get potentially more wocky, albeit gradually so, with Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Man United being their next 5.
Richarlison – Bournemouth (A), Huddersfield (H), West Ham (H)
Fun fact, our young Brazilliant hero has never scored a professional goal without Marco Silva being tucked into his left sock and operating him by remote control. Ok, so that may not be strictly true but it doesn’t feel that far removed from the reality of his career in England thus far. Robot Rich has a decent run of games ahead of him. The ones noted above are punctuated by a trip to Arsenal but even after that he gets a go at Fulham, Leicester and Palace.
Unfavourable Fixtures
Cardiff – Huddersfield (A), Arsenal (H), Chelsea (A)
When you need a 97th minute penalty save to get a point in a 0-0 at home to Newcastle you probably know it’s going to be a long season. Huddersfield away next is the proverbial 40 pointer. Beyond that classic it’s Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City on the bounce and then Spurs and Liverpool in 2 of the following 4. Sell! Sell! Sell! Or rather, slap yourself hard in the face for buying in the first place.
Spurs – Man United (A), Watford (A), Liverpool (H)
Take a pic. It’s not often you find Spurs hidden down here. It’s more cautionary than anything though as we know they can perform in any given game, from an attacking perspective. I probably just wouldn’t bank on any of their defenders for a few weeks, that’s all really.
Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Fixture Analysis Gameweek 3. This article was written by Inittowinit
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AWB is listed as -2. shouldn’t it be -1 as AWB was not on the pitch when the second goal was conceded.
If you get sent of then all the goals against rack up on your card. Often defenders concede penalties when they get sent off so it seems fair they should take the hit
fair enough SAF. FFFix listed his point as -1 instead of -2
We thinking King is off down tonight, or another misprediction?
hmm.. its more possible tonight but hard to say.
Shit – I feel really bad for my H2H opponent Josés de Portugal FC. Scores currently 76-73 to him. I have 1st sub Kamara for 2 points to come on, he has Obi-Wan with -2. Ouch
OK, enough gloating…err, I mean sympathy! I have 2 FT and ) ITB. Time for a mini-wildcard – happy to go for -8 this week and any additions to my options welcome.
.A – Sanchez/Jota/Davies > Mane/Walcott or Pedro/Alonso (-4)
B – Sanchez/Jota/Luiz/King > Mane/Micky/Alonso/Ings (-4)
C – Sanchez/Jota/Bilva/Davies – Mane/Micky/Richarlison/Alonso (-8)
C leaves me with double Chelski defence but they have excellent fixtures which could make it worth a decent punt for the next couple of weeks before I mix my team up again.
Any of those or something different? Cheers
Robbo
Chill Robbo, what’s with all the hits? You can make a decent team out of that lot with no hits.
Hi Init. I just reckon it’s sometimes worth having a clearout as something else always seems to crop up that stops me getting in the players I want, not to mention price rises
My “get rid” in order of priority are Sanchez/Jota/Luiz/Davies/ King.
My “get in” players are Mane/Alonso/Richarlison then whatever attack I can afford from Arsenal/Chelsea.
I won’t be hitting the button for a couple of nights, but option C is my favourite.
Go for it then mate, just don’t make a habit of it or it’ll ending up hindering you more than helping.
I do like C as Ricky seems essential atm especially with the nice fixtures but -8 seems a bit steep! Can you do A with Mhiki instead of Pedro/Walcott and then do Bilva to Ricky next week? Or Ricky this week and Mkhi next?
Hi Redkev. DOn’t have the funds to get Mikhi or Rich under option A unfortunately.
Sorry thought Pedro was 7 …just seen your 0.1 out!
How about Sanchez, Davies, Jota to Ricky, Miki and Alonso? Misses out on Mane but think leaves 2.6itb which could upgrade Kamara to Zaha? …would give rotation options/a selection headache each week! Tbh I do like C and although don’t wanna advise a -8 those players would probably make that back pretty quick
P.S …Mane and Ricki look like they’ll rise tonight while Sanchez will drop so if gonna do C I’d do it within the next hour or so
So… I really feel like my initial selection (3 City, 3 Pool, Firm over Mane) and recent price hikes (Alonso, Mane) are now prohibitive factors for my next transfers.
Ideally I’d like to have Alonso instead of Luiz and Mane instead of Firmino. Any potential transfers I’ve looked at for either would cost me -4 and it seems too sideways to pay the fee.
Would you just hold? I have 2FT but might end up having the same dilemma in the weeks to come so I feel like I have to act to at least free up some cash and avoid the hit later. Would appreciate your input!
How would you do those moves … who would those players be replacing?
The players who’d be making way are DDG, Firmino, Stephens to get Mane in for example. I don’t think it’s worth it. I should specify the -4 is only for one of Mane/Alonso. Getting both this week would take more surgery ie. more hits.
Not sure how you’re planning it but only way I can see is:
DDG>4.5 (+1.5)
Daniels>4.0 (+0.5)
Firmino>Ings (+4.0)
Luiz>Alonso (-1.2)
Cairney>Mane (-4.7)
Only leaves 0.1… Mane rising tonight, Ings and Alonso rising fast too while Cairney is at -95 and dropping fast too! Doesn’t look like it can be done over few weeks and so could take a -12 or WC!?
Hmmm that’s a little too steep and not sure the team warrants a WC. How about B. Silva, Firmino and Stephens to Mkhi, Mane and Kamara for -4?
Yeah I agree! Yeah seems decent …maybe little bit sideways and I’d probably want to do something with Cairney in near future but Mane & Miki could easily outscore Firmino & Bilva and make that -4 back over next few weeks. Go with your gut but if you’re not forced by price rises I’d be tempted to wait and see how Bilva/Miki do this week first
a mate of mine is giving me banter for getting 98 points this week. I told him his team wont last. he had trippier as 1st sub for Sanchez. Is it just me but his team wont last right? no salah or mane
Double Chelsea defence ‘could’ work well next few weeks although double Spurs could undo that with their fixtures.
Wouldn’t want Jorge in my 1st team …Pog and Austin decent but there are better picks imo! Sanchez obviously does give him a budget to improve those few though! …what’s your team like …far behind him??
only 6 points behind him. posted my team
Prefer this myself…reckon you’ll make the 6 points back quick enough!
Is it worth taking a hit this week to replace Christie or Peltier? Ive already brough in Mendy this week. I had previously planned to play WB in GW3 and make the free switch next week. Ill have 6.4m if replacing Christie. Thoughts?
Who did Mendy replace? Very solid team although you’re obviously likely to have only 2 defenders this week if Mendy wasn’t a replacement for Obi-Wan! Means a -4 would essentially only be a -2 as long as who you bring in doesn’t get carded or concede 2+ goals! A CS would basically put you on +2 after a -4 …only teams I’d bet on for that would be City, Liverpool or Chelsea do Robertson or Luiz could work out!? Especially Robertson as at home and attacking threat!
Mendy replaced Baily two days ago .. I would for sure go Robbo however I already have 3 Pool players, so not an option unfortunately. Was thinking Alonso, but I am literally 0.1 short lol. I just hate burning 4 points on a transfer, but have no option this week I guess with only 2 defenders currently
Oh yeah …missed Allison! Most people on here would advise not to take a hit for defenders. Luiz or an attacking Palace defender could work out but if you can’t get who you really want to keep in your team, someone who you’d bet would get a clean sheet or has high attacking potential it’s probably not worth the hit tbf!? Maybe wait and try for Alonso next week with 2fts if that’s who you really want using Lowton or play with 10 but bring Alonso in for Lowton this week if you think he’ll score 4 more than him