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.
Evening all, my dilemma for tonight is:- i want rvp but 0.1m short, lallana will go up, great, 0.1 made, but also januzaj going down at the same time, taking my 0.1m made away, should i take a -4pt hit + do januzaj to bacuna, then get rvp ?
Elle
To be honest I think RVP will make up for -4 over the next three games. Price rises eh? Nightmare.
RVP if fit will be in your team for the rest of the reason? Then I’d maybe consider the hit for the better long-term.
Any alternatives to Bacuna to avoid the hit?
+1
GP, rvp would be for 1 week, then back to sturridge v fulham, it was just that januzaj is going down in price, so i thought i’d ship him out, bacuna as he has a game in gw28 was my thinking.
Elle
In that case then I would stick with Sturridge to be honest. Home to Arsenal wouldn’t put me off.
GP, cheers, i just think rvp could run up massive points v fulham.
Evening elleffcee
I can see the attraction of getting RVP, and have had a look myself . I do agree with GP though to stick with Sturridge.
Evening basher, life treating you well ? I may be able to get rvp with no hit, lallana up, januzaj down cancel each other out, i may make another 0.1m somewhere else by saturday, i fancy rvp to outscore sturridge this weekend + it could bode me well in my money league, i have goofy + j rod up top aswell.
Well I’ve still not sorted my team! I appear to have all my strikers playing against my two highest valued defenders! :-/
Looked at RVP myself, but with only 3.5 in bank it would take a hit! And you know what I’m like about hits
Basher, not to fussed myself on hits, only where necessary, i’ve got 3.9m in the bank plus sturridge gives me 13.5m, so short myself, but could make that by saturday.
elle it sounds like you have convinced yourself enough that you want RvP in which case go for it. You will only kick yourself afterwards if he does well and you didn’t do it.
Evening rooster, hows it going mate, i think rvp will do well this weekend, but he will be straight out, couple of tough fixtures + a blank coming for him.
Good thank you elle, yourself? I take it you are going to captain him then to make it worthwhile?
Chicks, all fine thankyou mate, yip cappo rvp if bought, in my banter league, which is linked, i’ve got 1ft + 3.5m in the bank, anything i should do ?
Relax?
What you guys think about these transfers? I already sold Ozil for Johnson (Sunderland) and have 3.8m in the bank and 1 FT.
Rooney out RVP in 1.5 million in the bank after that and maybe swap Januzaj for Ox Chamberlain next week if he keeps a place in the Arsenal side.
Januzaj Out – Silva In (I’m 0.4 short though) so -4 hit needed. Either Azpi/Zabaleta?? in Kompany/Coleman out (big loss in squad value on Coleman). Or Mutch out – Colback In to make up the 0.4?
Any other ideas would be welcome. Cheers
Sorry not Zabaleta in, I can’t afford that move :s
Brianclough
of the 2 the first option seems better. Rooney seems to have the deeper role so RVP is the likeliest to score points. Plus no hit. I would consider Johnson out though after this week
Interesting, I think you’re right though. Have a feeling for Johnson vs City though the blank GW 28 is a worry as well, not sure if I should of even signed him, no wonder you’re in 40th. Cheers, I might just do RVP and take it from there.
Rvp very attractive…
Evening jimbo, hows tricks in that there south ? I fancy rvp this weekend, see above.
Have you’s asked him out? haha.
NIN, nope, hes a manc. :big-lol:
Hahaha,fair enough elle,sound logic i suppose haha
Cloughie – I wouldn’t make anymore moves this week mate,team looks fine,after the upcoming game week i’d look to bring in more City cover,their run is ridiculous!
100% agree NIN on the City coverage issue! My head is spinning at the thought of a repeat of the 7-0 Norwich suffered last time they played. B-Bash got me thinking I might go RVP this week for Rooney. Then hope Johnson rises 0.1 more to counter Azpi’s 0.1 rise this week and do Azpi for Kompany and Silva for Johnson further down the line. Leaves me with 0.0 if all goes to plan. Or even try to keep Kompany and still get Azpi somehow.
Gotta love fantasy football, just a shame Aguero got injured! I planned my Jan wildcard around him, which has now gone out of the window.
Cloughie – That’s pretty tight,hopefully it works out,either way once some extra City cover comes in soon then all is good!! Yeah the Aguero injury was a kick in the teeth for sure,it allowed me to purchase my nemesis though (Yaya) so not all bad.
HAHA every cloud m8 😛 I feel he’s gonna punish me in the cup this weekend lol
Cloughie – yep,he’s broken my heart all season to point where i don’t even want him in my squad haha,had to be done though,point scoring lunatic that he is. I’m sure you’ll be fine in the cup
Shite, wanted to buy Azpi for 5.3m but he will go up tonight. I have to wait plus I’m 0.1m short to replace him if I sell him for Evans. I guess no Chelsea coverage for now. >.<
Hmmm. Wow, I guess I’ll be watching a United game this weekend with RvP as cap and Mata. The week after I can cap Suarez or Sturridge for the match against Fulham. Not only will I be watching a United and a Pool match, I’ll be watching 2 Fulham matches. And they suck hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Captain pick is tough this week,who would you’s go for from this bunch of so and so’s..
1.Suarez/Sturridge
2.Tekkers
3.Hazard
4.Mata
5.Yaya
Cheers lads.
NIN, 1 for me, although if i buy rvp he will be my cappo.
Cheers elle,safe option is never a bad thing i suppose,i’m playing catch up though so might try out someone else this week,bloody Suarez though haha,it’s always dodgy not selecting him!
NIN – howdy mate. surely Rooney’s worth a punt this week? Incredibly unlucky last GW not to have a couple of goals. Seems to be going under the radar again with all this RVP loving that’s being spread around…
Don’t hate on RvP. I think Mata is the main United man to keep. I have both Mata and RvP so I’m very happy they face Fulham next. LOVELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
…by the way NIN, about that 16 point hit??? Do we need to talk?
blue_moon – Long time no see mate,how goes it? I don’t have Rooney and have made my transfers already,as for the -16,calculated madness my friend haha,if i’m right it will pay off handsomely over the next 6 weeks,that’s the idea anyway,probably utter stupidity but it’s done now haha..on to the next one as they say.
Morning NIN – busy mate, but all good. Sorry, I hadnt realised you were listing those in your team (thought you were trying to start a new piece without editorial approval)
It’s OK – Cookie and Init are probably sleeping lol.
Best then to pretend the -16 never happened. I still recall your advice to burn and destroy my proposal to do a -12 a few months ago, never to see the light of day again….
I’m going Rooney for cappo. Best of luck this week. Let’s see you back to 247 in the world mate!
blue_moon – Hahah,i call a revolution!! It was a crazy move,no doubt about that,to be honest the Jan WC really f****d me up,3 managers in a mini league i’m in played theirs the same GW as me,all rivals,and all of us picked pretty much the same team and i was slowly but surely falling behind so boom,big change up,safe to say i’ll never do that again,still nearly 100 points behind but hopefully that changes soon,good luck to you too mate,i’ll do my best to get back on here more often,been hectic lately haha,such is life Blue
-16?!!! NIN, are you ok?
I’m guessing all those players from your captain pick are in your team. Wouldn’t call those differentials. Most people have those right?
init – Howdy,i know..crazy move,i think it’ll see me right though,starting this week. How are your lot shaping up this week?
Raz – I didn’t mention a differential haha,just not convinced Suarez/Sturridge is the way to go this week and the rest are my options..
Looking ship shape I think NIN. Need to get rid of Giroud and I am good to go.
init – Cool,yeah Giroud isn’t looking too promising for the next two at all,just had a look at your team there it looks grand,any input on my captain pick mate?
1.Suarez/Sturridge
2.Tekkers
3.Hazard
4.Mata
5.Yaya
NIN, tough one that mate. Mata at home to Fulham – I fancy his first Utd goal this weekend.
Yeah there’s a good chance of it happening,at the moment i have Hazard (c) Mata (vc), the toon at home is a tasty fixture too
Difficult one NIN. I fancy United for a big win this weekend, so Mata would be a good choice. I’m going Rooney at the minute, likely to be RVP later this week after transfer. I wouldn’t blame you for going Suarez or Sturridge though, even though it is Arsenal and I think Yaya must score something this weekend, so your on for points m8 gl
Cheers,Mata and Hazard are tempting,as is Benteke to be honest,West Ham are lost without Carrol
I’m torn between Suárez/Sturridge myself but I’m also very tempted by Mata & Hazard.. Tough choice this week, so I think I’ll play safe with Suárez.
Shite. What is going on with you people? Like the first few months everybody is pushing me to take no hits, do nothing and be very conservative. Look at yall now, taking 8-16 point hits. >.<
:))
Oooh Aussie. Reem could be fighting Hunt next. Good fight right?
UFC is a foreign language to me mate…
Too bad.
Completely off topic, does anyone know if there will be a fantasy game for the world cup this summer? Might keep the doctor at bay until the start of the new prem season lol
Yes Cloughie,there will be,i played one before but no one else really paid attention to it (my mates) so i won it with ease,looking forward to playing it this time round,i’d imagine a lot on here will be playing..fantasy junkies that we are haha.
HAHA yeah, I’m sure this is one of the places you will find some healthy competition for sure
Keep me posted if you find the best site, I’m sure people will mention it more closer to the time.
Absolutely,i’m sure there will be a lot playing
brianclough, we intend to run right through the Summer and will heavily feature the WC with a FF247 league and articles to match so don’t worry. A lot of us usually play the UEFA game for the tournaments so we will probably use that one, it’s the same one we all use for the Champions League as well. Bring it on!