Fantasy Football Tips Game-week 5

Fantasy Football Tips Game-week 5

Right then, hopefully this here international break will have been long enough for our FPL players to put down whatever it is they’ve been taking that’s messed up their systems and have a nice long word with themselves so that normal service can resume. This whole unpredictable shtick has gone on long enough! When the GW4 Dreamteam can be purchased for a paltry 65.3M then you know something is amiss.

That’s not to say that big-hitters haven’t shot blanks before, or that budget-friendly options haven’t scored well previously, but it is certainly one of the stranger FPL starts in memory when these things happen en masse as they have done in the first four GWs. The 5 most expensive forwards (excluding Daniel Sturridge) have played an average of 80 mins per game thus far, and yet have rewarded their expectant owners with a COMBINED offering of just 3 goals and 2 assists. And it’s not just the forwards – only 2 of the 21 most expensive midfielders (excluding Kevin De Bruyne) are among the top 11 highest scoring midfielders so far. Something surely has to give, and a relatively long break from club football might just be the catalyst that was needed.

Like the players away on international duty, Kop has also taken a break from club obligations and is currently somewhere in Portugal recovering from a mental breakdown due to the stress of FPL relaxing with his family, so we’ll do our best to see you right in his absence.

[clear]

[divider_1px]

Goalkeepers[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]It’s a tricky time for many goalkeeper owners due to impending recoveries for both Julian Speroni and Ben Foster, and the end of the David de Gea saga. Speroni has already played for the U21s on his road to being match-ready, and Foster has been training for weeks and is currently expected back some time next month. None of that is to say that they will immediately oust incumbent Messrs Alex McCarthy and Boaz Myhill, if at all, but just as with Trump currently running for executive office, the mere possibility of it coming to pass leaves many of us with a pit in our stomachs. I mean what if that clown Speroni were put in charge of the largest nuclear arsenal on earth?! As for de Gea, well your guess is as good as mine regarding what the unpredictable van Gaal will do with him, but it would certainly be folly to not play him. Romero owners that cashed in on the early points will have done so knowing this was a short-term risk, and if a plan was in place to offload him after the window closed if necessary then consider the following options:

England’s number 1 man remains the pick of the premium keepers, with the only caveat being that he takes one of three coveted City positions in your team. Joe Hart has had little to do in his first 4 matches other than practice his celebrations, but has looked assured and able when called upon. With a more than decent chunk of fixtures heading his way, including Newcastle, Bournemouth and Norwich all at home in the next 7, he is looking like a viable long-term option.

Maarten Stekelenburg; whisper it softly lest the bubble be burst. Unlike Foster and Speroni, Fraser Forster remains sidelined until at least next year, and the man signed as his cover for the season has performed more than adequately in his absence. After a shaky start to the season Southampton look to have steadied the ship somewhat and have enjoyed a couple of clean sheets in the last 2 games, and, with only 1.7% ownership, Stekelenburg is currently flying under the radar. This may well be in part due to the nasty looking fixtures on the Saints’ horizon, but if you think teams could continue to make a mockery of said fixtures then the big Dutchman could reward you well for bringing him in.

One must search deeper for a cheaper keeper, and Tim Krul has been a leaper so far! A leaper with an “a” that is, as in he jumps around a lot, not that his fingers fall off, which would not be the most desirable trait for a goalkeeper to have… His leaping has led to a quite frankly ludicrous 24 saves in the opening matches, which have yielded a remarkable 7 points saves. It’s safe to say that there weren’t many Toon fans cracking open the brown ale at the news of McClaren’s appointment, but he has at least managed to kick out some of the stale lethargy and make the players look like they care again. Chancel Mbemba has looked to be an astute signing and if he can form a decent understanding with Coloccini over the coming weeks then Krul can only benefit from that, and if not then he should at least get you a few save points!

[divider_1px]

Defenders

[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]We are experiencing a rare thing folks; Aleksandar Kolarov is as close to a guaranteed starter as you can get, and for another month at least with Clichy currently out courtesy of an ankle injury. Currently a generous 5.8mln, anyone without a City defender would be well advised to bring him in sharpish, and even if you have one then a sideways move to Kolarov wouldn’t be the worst move if you have nothing else pressing. City have been a relentless machine so far, and even with all of the goals flying in Kolarov has still bagged himself 7 bonus points, not to mention scoring one himself and keeping a clean sheet in each game. He’s a constant threat in terms of goals and assists, often bombing forward and has a decent share of set pieces to boot. Bacary Sagna was proving to be a great cheap alternative but he unfortunately picked up a knock while playing for France, and that combined with Pablo Zabaleta’s likely return to fitness soon spells potential trouble for any owners.

Aaron Cresswell showed us again last GW why he’s that bit more expensive than his fellow West Ham defenders, and you’d better believe he’s worth it. 2 assists and 2 clean sheets is a great return for managers who have had him from the start, and you could do far worse than joining them and acquiring him. The Hammers have been the mystery package so far, letting in 6 at home to Leicester and Bournemouth and then conceding nothing against Liverpool and Arsenal. If they can buck this trend then Cresswell will start to look like a bargain even at 5.5mln, with home games against Newcastle and Norwich in the next 3. Looking ahead, Adrian will be back from suspension next GW, bolstering the defence, and when Song returns from injury he should further help in alleviating pressure on the back line, adding more clean sheet potential.

Next up is Luke Shaw, who’s been one of the few reasons for Man United fans to be pleased 4 games into the season. Lacklustre in attack, the Red Devils have made up for this by looking surprisingly solid at the back. 3 clean sheets in as many games was undone by the silky Swans, but Shaw finally converted the attacking potential he showed in the earlier games into a great assist against Swansea to not leave the game empty-handed. It’s also worth mentioning he had another great assist for Harry Kane’s goal against Switzerland during the break, and, as he grows in confidence seemingly finally being a Shaw thing under van Gaal, this could be something we see more and more of. A cheeky 0.1mln less than the similarly impressive Matteo Darmian, but with added attacking threat, he gets the tip ahead of his team mate.

Just time for a quick little risky one now, in the form of Cesar Azpilicueta. Chelsea have looked completely out of sorts this season, having conceded an unthinkable minimum of 2 goals each game so far. However, this wouldn’t be so much a tips article as a Captain Hindsight piece if all we were to do is recommend players in good form who have scored well recently. Think what you want of Mourinho, but the man does know how to get the best out of his teams, and that usually hinges on a solid, miserly defence. You can be sure that during this break he has been at work on how to fix his defensive woes, and now that the transfer window is shut he can focus on his current crop of players, for better or worse, and try to get some consistency going. I mean it just has to change, right?? When it does you will want a Chelsea defender in you team, and Azpilicueta is currently the best offering, sitting on more points than all of the others combined thanks to a goal and assist, and is also cheaper than all of the regular starters.

Some budget-friendly tips now, and firstly we look again to Liverpool’s Joseph Gomez, who continues to be picked by Rodgers (can’t say I blame him given the alternatives). Similar to United, they picked up 3 surprising clean sheets but were then undone by an in-form attack. You really can’t complain at a Liverpool defender who keeps getting game time and only costs 4.8mln though, and after Old Trafford this GW he does have two nice home games against Norwich and Villa.

Ryan Bertrand is due back soon, bringing an imminent end to the MattTargett party, but due to the possibility of Southampton playing 3 at the back, Maya Yoshida still offers us a cheap route into the Saints’ defence. This is likely just another short-term fix though after van Dijk’s arrival, and is only recommended as a punt for a couple of GWs if it fits in with your plans well.

Wrapping up the defenders is Watford’s Craig Cathcart, who slightly edges it over his peers due to not having accrued any yellow cards yet. Inevitable relegation contenders, every point is worth its weight in gold for the Hornets, and as such you can expect to see more clean sheets in home games especially.

[divider_1px]

Midfielders

[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]Where City’s goalkeeper and defender tips were straightforward, it becomes something of a nightmare to suggest just one for midfield. The good thing though is that unlike the Arsenal midfield nightmare, all of the best FPL players from City’s midfield are likely to play most of the time. Sorry, but totally chickening out on this one, and am just going to say pick at least one of the following! David Silva has picked up right where he left off last season with 4 assists in 4 games, and seems to somehow drift through opposing teams almost in slow motion. Raheem Sterling had shown glimpses of promise in the first 3 games, but, after finally getting on the scoresheet last time around with some brilliant positioning, he could be set to go on a run now and has fallen to an attainable 8.9mln. Yaya Toure has been typical Yaya really; I used to play with a lad who reminds me of him a lot – he’d pick up the ball and was a bit clumsy with it, but after bumbling his way through a group of players he’d somehow emerge with the ball still at his feet and then side-foot it into the corner from 20 yards! Ah Yaya, got to love/hate him. But while he’s playing like this the only reason not to own him is if you own another of his midfield team mates. Finally, if that trio weren’t enough, they’ve only gone and added the Bundesliga Player of the Season to their ranks! Kevin De Bruyne got a whopping 10 goals and 21 assists last season, and it’s hard not to see him slotting right in in place of Jesus Navas. Some have baulked at his price of 10mln, but with his record and the way City are playing at the moment, that could honestly turn out to be a pinch.

Now the fence-sitting is out of the way, let’s have a gander at a Swan. Andre Ayew has been almost omnipresent in the Welsh side’s attack, with 3 goals, an assist and 6 bonus points to show for his introduction to the Premiership. Under Monk, they’ve got the type of club many fans can only wish for, with a history of shrewd transfers, a manager and chairman who both care about the club and fans, and a free-flowing style of football. Ayew actually offered to play for free for Liverpool until January so he could try and prove himself, but in their infinite wisdom they declined. Looking at the fortunes of Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Allen, he is probably glad they did now, and is punishing FPL players left, right and centre for not owning him. You don’t want to be among them.

Leicester clearly haven’t got the memo that they were supposed to struggle after Nigel Pearson’s exit, sitting pretty as they are in a Champions League spot! Algerian Riyad Mahrez has been instrumental in their early success and notched 4 goals in the first 3 games before being removed at half time last time out as a precaution. He since played for his country during the international break though so should be considered fit and raring to go against Villa this weekend. It would take a brave fantasy manager to bet against the desert Fox getting more attacking returns there…

Pedro continued his great start for Chelsea with another assist and 2 accompanying bonus points last match, and for those starting to really lose patience with Eden Hazard, he is a strong sideways option that still provides an attacking Chelsea outlet (for those of you into coverage) whilst saving you considerable funds for elsewhere, much like Cesc Fabregas last season. The time came then when it was necessary to bring him back, and it will probably come again, but for now why not make hay? Even his international manager lambasted Hazard, after he scored the only goal too! But yeah, Pedro, he’s really good he is.

Man United’s dramatic signing of Anthony Martial could very well benefit Juan Mata, who may find himself playing centrally from time to time depending on how the teenager is deployed. Even if not, he is becoming more adept at drifting in at the right time as opposed to languishing on the wing, where it seems United managers want him to wither away until he’s a shadow of the player he once was. The Spaniard has other plans though, and has looked the best United prospect going forward. It shows how far the mighty have fallen in that at this stage he’s almost considered a punt, but at 8.5mln he’s also very affordable if he adds to his goal and assist thus far and goes on a scoring run.

There are a whole host of midfielders who have done well in the opening stages in all honesty, and, writing this, I do not at all envy Kop having to whittle them down to a manageable few for you each GW! Looking ahead though, Jeremain Lens is our tip out of the mid-priced bunch remaining (Ayew and Mahrez excepted). He’s taken to life in the Premier League very well and is enjoying being the proverbial big Dutchman in a small team. Regardless of how Sunderland are playing, he always seems to be able to produce a moment of magic, which is a good job when you consider how his team have played so far! He’s had a hand in 4 of their 6 goals, and players that get the majority of their team’s attacking returns can be very important to own. If he can just stop getting cautions now then he might be in with a shout of some bonus points too…

Ugh, haven’t even mentioned Sadio Mane, “Look-at-me-I-scored-so-I-point-to-my-name-even-though-I’ve-done-nothing-else-all-season” Dusan Tadic, Bakary Sako, Xherdan Shaqiri or Adama “Battlestar” Traore yet. Well now I have, so arse covered

[divider_1px]

Forwards

[three_fourth padding=”0 20px 0 0″]

[/three_fourth]We’re loath to do this. As the midfielder section was coming to a close and the forward section loomed ever closer we desperately thought of who else to go with here, but, quite frankly, who else can go first but Sergio Aguero? Even forgetting how his team have steam-rollered all opponents in a start that is reminiscent of Chelsea in the 2010/11 season, and how they broke the bank to get two great attacking additions that will undoubtedly help him, Aguero is simply world class as a stand-alone act, both in footballing and FPL terms. That’s enough fawning now, and we’re sickened by how much City have dominated all 4 sections, but we’d be doing you a disservice if it was reported otherwise. De Bruyne and Silva assisted over 30 times between them in their respective leagues alone last season though, so just imagine Aguero getting on the end of most of those and you can hopefully forgive us for the bluewash.

Right, now that’s out of the way let’s take a look at Bafetimbi Gomis. The man can’t stop scoring! The inescapable truth is that Aguero alone automatically takes up over an eighth of our budget, and, for those of us that own him, balancing the books becomes a necessity. Mid-priced Gomis is the perfect type of player to accompany him up front, coming in at a very reasonable 7.4mln currently. His form certainly does not appear to be some kind of fluke either, and shows no signs of abating with Swansea playing fearlessly and intelligently. Of slight commiseration to non-owners is that he hasn’t twisted the knife by getting many bonus points along with his goals, and in fact has only obtained 1 so far. Still, for that price he could not get another bonus point all season if he keeps chipping in the odd goal and it will have been money well spent.

We also can’t go without mentioning an even cheaper great option, Callum Wilson of Bournemouth. The promoted side got a much-needed first win in GW3 to kick off their season proper after a couple of narrow defeats prior to that, and followed it up with an encouraging 1-1 draw with Leicester. Wilson claimed 4 of the 5 goals in those games, and remember what we said about the importance of players that grab a majority of a team’s points? They end up becoming focal points of the team and much of the play is directly geared towards going through them. This in turn leads to more opportunities and in turn more points. Also know that he tended to score in batches last season, so we could be set for the storm before the calm, in which case you’ll want to get him in while he’s still producing.

Finally let’s leave you with what is hopefully considered a not-so-obvious choice for anyone wanting to go against the grain and be adventurous. We’re of course referring to Bojan Krkic! Gotcha, just checking you’re still here. Not that Bojan may not become a very enticing option a little way down the road if all of those once-huge-potential stars can gel, but just now we’re on about West Brom’s new man up front, Salomon Rondon. The Venezuelan scored 20 goals in the Russian league last season so should not have a problem with the physicality over here, and indeed seems to have settled into life with the Yam Yams quite well after grabbing a goal and assist in his first 2 full games. With Berahino’s role unsure after his tantrum on twitter (use Stones as an example son!), Rondon is the man leading the Baggies’ charge and could very conceivably trouble a few defences in the coming weeks.

[divider_1px]

Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Tips Game-week 5. This article was written by Calvin Clyne

Follow @SharpyBoy86

[divider_1px_dashed]

[row][span6]

Vote on our Captain Poll Now

[/span6][span6]

Fixture Tracker

[/span6][/row]

[divider_1px]

FANTEAM.COM – FANTASY BETTING

It’s time for your fantasy manager job to finally pay off.
Gather your friends and foes and see who has the best strategic skills in fantasy football!