Fixture Analysis – Gameweek 25, FPL Fantasy Premier League

FAVOURABLE FIXTURES

Man City – Norwich (a), Sunderland (h), Stoke (h), blank GW28

Monday night’s loss at home to Chelsea will have surprised many and maybe even cause some doubts amongst the City players themselves, especially as they had looked so indestructible of late. But they do have three kind-looking fixtures to get back on track, starting on Saturday as they travel to Norwich. This game stinks of goals – there has been 32 in their last five meetings, with City scoring 23 of those, so holders of Yaya Toure, David Silva, Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko will be hoping that this theme continues. They then welcome Sunderland and Stoke to the Etihad and we all know what they can do to teams there. It’s important to bear in mind that City have a blank GW28 due to their involvement in the Capital One Cup final, so you will need to plan that into your strategy for the next few weeks.

Chelsea – Newcastle (h), WBA (a), Everton (h), Fulham (a)

The Jose mind games are well underway. Despite becoming the first team to take points off City at the Etihad, the Special One maintains that his team are only third favourites to win the league. Well, the next few GW’s should give us a better idea and with the Blues defence in stubborn form, six clean sheets in eight games tells its own story and it appears almost a necessity that a Chelsea defender should be present in your side. Ever-present John Terry is both the highest scorer and the most expensive at 6.7mln, more affordable options are Gary Cahill (5.8mln), Branislav Ivanovic (6mln) and the cheapest of the lot Cesar Azpilicueta at 5.3mln. They welcome both Newcastle and Everton to Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks, both of which have seen a downturn in scoring of late, while away trips to West Brom and Fulham would also appear to offer little threat. With Fernando Torres still a week or two away from a return Samuel Eto’o seems nailed on up front, while the form of Eden Hazard seems to be just getting better and better. New signing, midfielder Nemanja Matic , priced in FPL terms at just 6mln, impressed at City and could offer a cheeky cheap punt in your midfield.

Tottenham – Everton (h), Newcastle (a), Norwich (a), Cardiff (h)

Having been taken apart at home by City in GW23, Spurs salvaged a draw at Hull last time out and will now look to push on in their attempt to grab a Champions League place. They now enter a run of four fixtures, all of which they will see as winnable, beginning with the visit of Everton to White Hart Lane this week. Despite Romelu Lukaku not scoring since GW19, he was been a valuable front man in terms of holding and distributing the ball and bringing others into play and its noticeable that the Blues have missed his presence and they are more reliant on set pieces and Steven Naismith! The Blues have only kept one clean sheet in their last ten, offering Spurs plenty of encouragement. Tim Sherwood then takes his team to a stuttering Newcastle and then onto struggling Norwich before welcoming Cardiff in a depleted GW28. It is this final fixture which will prove of most interest to fantasy managers as they look to plan forward for a GW28 without their Man City, Man Utd and Sunderland representatives.

In that regard, we would expect the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Christian Eriksen to be in particular focus, whilst at the back Michael Dawson, Kyle Walker and Jan Vertonghen will be popular additions, depending on your budget.

The Best of the Rest

Two other teams with decent looking fixtures include Southampton & Aston Villa. The Saints host Stoke this week, before taking trips to Hull and West Ham and then they host Liverpool in GW28. Plenty of opportunities for the likes of Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez to carry on their good form. Villa host West Ham this weekend and then travel to Cardiff and Newcastle – Paul Lambert’s men may be of interest to fantasy managers for GW28 in particular as they entertain Norwich. Could see a few one-week punts here – time for Christian Benteke to return to your team maybe, while the likes of Nathan Baker and Fabian Delph will continue to interest those bargain hunters.

LESS FAVOURABLE FIXTURES

Fulham – Man Utd (a), Liverpool (h), WBA (a), Chelsea (h)

Two points clear at the bottom of the table, most if not all fixtures would appear to be difficult at the moment. But chuck into the mix fixtures against Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea in the next four GWs may see the Cottagers cast further adrift before long. The visit to United this weekend is traumatic enough, but could be even more painful as the Reds look to hit back with a vengeance following their drab defeat at Stoke. And if that wasn’t bad enough Messrs Suarez and Sturridge are the visitors three days later. A trip to West Brom in GW27 could be the only saving grace for Rene Meulensteen, though that’s hardly a gimme before the Special One brings his title chasing outfit the mile or so to Craven Cottage.

For the gamblers are amongst us, new signing Kostas Mitroglou may prove to be the buy of the season and score the goals that will keep Fulham in the Premier League. Haha who am I trying to kid! Clint Dempsey hasn’t done anything, Lewis Holtby at 6.2mln looks overpriced in a poor side. Oh well, there’s always Steve Sidwell – 82 fantasy points already this season including five goals.

Sunderland – Hull (h), Man City (a), Arsenal (a), blank GW28

Just as everyone who hasn’t got Vito Mannone, Phil Bardsley and Adam Johnson looks at the fixtures and sees Hull at home for the Black Cats, then the fantasy football devil works his nastiest magic and gives them trips to City and Arsenal followed by a blank game-week!! How’s your luck? That’s not to say that Gus Poyet’s men can’t get anything from these fixtures, after all they’ve already beaten City this season, but it may well be that your Sunderland boys may be best on your bench for three weeks or so. Hull at home should be straightforward enough though.

What you do with your Sunderland players is obviously up to you, but with a blank game-week on the horizon it may well be you’ll see some value lost if you choose to bench rather than sell them. But confidence in football is a great thing and you wouldn’t put it past Johnson to knock one in at the Etihad against his old club or indeed at the Emirates, while keeper Mannone should continue to pick up valuable save points.

Stoke – Southampton (a), Swansea (h), Man City (a), Arsenal (h)

A much needed win over Man Utd last game-week propelled Stoke back up to halfway, but they will need to build on that result if they are to stay there as the next few weeks produces some tough matches. First up is a trip to an improving Southampton side who are unbeaten in four and looked classy for long periods in dismissing Fulham. The Potters then host a struggling and newly managerless Swansea side and Mark Hughes will be desperate to win this one as they then face matches at Man City and then at home to Arsenal in GWs 27 & 28.

Charlie Adam continues to produce the goods for Stoke, while new signing, striker Peter Odemwingie, will be keen to cement his place in the team with a few goals. Captain Robert Huth should be back from injury soon and his price has dropped to 5.2mln, offering a small discount to partner Ryan Shawcross.

Be wary of…

It’s also worth mentioning Norwich face a few tough GWs with trips to West Ham and Aston Villa, while they also welcome Man City to Carrow Road. Despite outplaying Cardiff for long periods at the weekend, another defeat increases the pressure on Chris Hughton, who could well find his team back in the bottom three come the end of GW25. Scoreless in seven games, the Canaries will be desperate for striker Gary Hooper to get back on the goal trail sooner rather than later.

FIXTURE FUN

Please note that after this weekend we have another midweek game-week in GW26, with the deadline being 19.30 on Tuesday 11 February. This will give us all opportunities to see the team sheets revealed for the following matches: Cardiff vs Aston Villa, Hull vs Southampton, West Ham vs Norwich and WBA vs Chelsea. Following GW26, there is then a 10-day break from FPL due to the FA Cup Fifth round which will involve Sunderland, Southampton, Cardiff, Man City, Chelsea, Everton, Swansea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

**Buyer Beware!** GW28 and GW29

It is worth us pointing out at this stage that GW28 and also GW29 will need careful planning for. GW28 sees Man City, Man Utd, Sunderland and West Brom all without a fixture.

The sleeper on the horizon however is GW29 which clashes with the FA Cup Sixth Round. Depending on the outcome of the Fifth Round ties then this could potentially mean a blank game-week for the following teams as well as obviously their respective opponents for GW29  – Arsenal, Cardiff, Chelsea, Everton, Hull, Liverpool, Man City, Southampton, Sunderland and Swansea! It will of course not be all of these as some face each other but  the worst case scenario given the draw is that six of them will progress and we are guaranteed at least four of them will at this point.

We will focus on the implications of this in much more detail in our next Fixtures Article once we know the outcome of these ties.

This article was written by Cookie.