Fantasy Premier League Captain Picks Gameweek 22

Fantasy Premier League Captain Picks Gameweek 22

Welcome to Fantasy Premier League Captain Picks Gameweek 22. 2017 is already shaping up to be the year of the incredible sulk. While Diego Costa has one eye on a slow boat to China, Dmitri Payet would seem content just to leave E13. Or E20. Or wherever the heck it is that the Hammers call home now. Even Alexis Sanchez threw a strop when his manager had the audacity to relieve him of duty 4-0 up at the Welsh branch of Managers-R-Us.

So which players should you trust with your captaincy, and which should you cast aside, risking mutiny? That’s clearly none of my business. But here are 5 players worth considering:

5. PHILIPPE COUTINHO (home vs Swansea)

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[/three_fifth]A swan’s grace as it glides along the water is said to belie the unseen frenzied activity of its paddling feet, which cannot be said for their Premier League incarnation. The Reds’ next opponents have been frantic and haphazard from every angle; Swansea are currently splashing about with all the grace of ‘Debbie Does Dallas’.

Prior to Sunday’s clash of the North-West giants, Coutinho had failed to accrue a single point in 7 games. However he had also failed to register a single minute of game-time, giving him an average score of 0 ÷ 0 which… broke my calculator, proving that even when he doesn’t play, the Brazilian’s stats are untouchable. 30 minutes at Old Trafford and a likely FA Cup run-out against Plymouth should see Klopp’s talisman return to the FPL fold in earnest this weekend. Liverpool have been prolific scorers this season, but their scattered distribution of goals has always made the likes of Lallana, Firmino and Mane gambles for the armband. Liverpool’s no. 10 was flying before his injury and will surely offer captaincy-worthy returns as he closes in on his best ever season at Anfield.

4. ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC (away vs Stoke City)

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[/three_fifth]Maybe we got Zlatan wrong. Arriving on British shores with a reputation for arrogance, the Swede has demonstrated an unselfish appreciation for those around him. While Romelu Lukaku left viewers feeling awkward with the kind of statuesque Cantona celebration best left only to Cantona, Ibra used his goal to whip Old Trafford into a frenzy. In stark contrast to certain other players right now, Man Utd’s 35 year old’s professionalism has shone through playing (November’s Arsenal game excepted) every minute of every game.

9th placed Stoke will welcome United in good fettle following encouraging victories over Sunderland and Watford, though they struggle against decent teams. Winter match-ups against Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal all ended in convincing defeats, despite promising patches of play. Mark Hughes will be keen to turn up and spoil United’s momentum, but even if they do you’d fancy the man-bunned meister to make a mark. Mourinho’s Red Devil revival has been in no small part to his striker’s 10 goals in 10 games, which interestingly makes a goal-per-game average of…. ummm… well if Coutinho hadn’t broken my calculator I’d be able to work that out.

3. EDEN HAZARD (home vs Hull City)

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[/three_fifth]Fighting off serious competition from the hipster’s choice, Marcos Alonso, Eden Hazard presents us with a more familiar captaincy route into Chelsea’s David and Goliath encounter with Hull. Uncertainty over top-scorer Costa’s availability remains, but his teammates have won 3-0 in both of his recent absences with Hazard garnering 16 points. Diego must be wondering what he has to do get some attention.

Hazard’s recent returns have been solid if unspectacular. However an advanced role against the Tigers could reignite the fire we saw from him in the autumn. Hull have shown admirable resilience at home, but haven’t had much joy away from the KC since gameweek 2 at Swansea. Marco Silva’s men won’t roll over at Stamford Bridge, but without a clean sheet in 10 games even the most optimistic among the amber and black ranks must fear being put to the sword by the Belgian this Sunday.

2. HARRY KANE (away vs Manchester City)

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[/three_fifth]Having destroyed Tony Pulis’ back-four with a triple whammy, it must be with some zeal that Kane now switches focus to a rearguard that’s more permeable than a phospholipid bilayer cell membrane [citation needed]. In his search for beautiful football, Pep Guardiola has created a Frankenstein defence. Altruistic, yet hideous. The idea that John Stones offered a cheap way into a great team now seems a distant horror, like a Glastonbury Festival veteran’s sober epiphany that last summer’s stellar sexual conquest was in fact a farm animal.

An exceptional 6 goals in 4 games have been no statistical anomaly with Kane hitting the target more times (11) than anyone else over the same period. Just don’t talk about ‘that’ penalty. It feels strange to see an away fixture at Man City as a captaining opportunity, but this owes as much to Spurs’ recent explosion of form as it does their opponent’s ineptitude at the back. Dele, Christian and Harry will be queuing up for a pop at Pep.

1. ALEXIS SANCHEZ (home vs Burnley)

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[/three_fifth]I don’t know about you, but when I get told I can leave work early I’m out of the door before the end of their sentence. Not our Alexis. No, he wants to stay behind and help clean the changing rooms, wash the kit and probably drive the team coach. Providing Sanchez’s tantrum wasn’t a ruse to orchestrate a January exit from the Emirates, this attitude should continue to stand him in good stead against a Burnley side that are the epitome of hard work. Sean Dyche must be brimming with pride at the Clarets’ achievements which have seen them soar giddily into the upper hemisphere of the Premier League. Though while imperious at home, they’ve shockingly taken only a single point from a possible 27 on their travels, conceding 20 goals.

Arsenal’s Chilean superstar at times seems peerless and sits atop the FPL standings with daylight between him and the chasing pack. Sanchez shows no sign of slowing down, averaging 8.75 points across the last 8 games, making it hard to overlook him for the armband. If you do, he might sulk.

Thanks for reading Fantasy Premier League Captain Picks Gameweek 22. This article was written by Bryan Munich

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