Kops Fantasy Football Tips Gameweek 34

Kops Fantasy Football Tips Gameweek 34

Christian Benteke and Charlie Austin have a lot to answer for! Their exploits in DGW31 have forced many to chase the imminent DGW and you just know that that spells disaster. There will be more hits taken by fantasy managers around the world this week than were taken on the streets of Baltimore during the 5 series of The Wire. Should you have planned well or you are lucky enough to have activated your wildcard this week you will at the very least get a head start on the smack heads. A quick look at the ‘transfers in’ section on the FPL website has reinforced our belief that the vast majority of transfers are unsurprisingly based around the DGW and therefore this week we will be predominantly focusing on those players who feature in the double. However as we like to look at the bigger picture we have also included a number of players who don’t feature in the double but could still deliver over the remaining gameweeks.

Goalkeepers

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[/three_fourth]It would appear that Chelsea are going to bore their way to the title! While that’s not good news for the football lovers amongst us, it is good news for those who are set to invest in their defence ahead of the DGW. Their clean sheet against United on Saturday evening meant they kept back to back clean sheets for the first time since the beginning of January and if it hadn’t have been for a worldie from Charlie Adam it would’ve been three in a row. Given the recent form of both Arsenal & Leicester we envisage Chelsea having a tough time of it during the DGW, however as they demonstrated against United they are more than capable of absorbing pressure and therefore we wouldn’t be at all surprised should Thibaut Courtois pick up another two clean sheets. Should they win both games they will in fact win the league and while many other teams would then take their foot off the gas this is unlikely to be the case with Chelsea and therefore Courtois is likely to be a good bet for clean sheets beyond the DGW.

Where has it all gone wrong for Liverpool? Only a couple of weeks ago they looked on course for a top 4 finish, keeping seven clean sheets in nine games. However back to back defeats to both United & Arsenal, conceding six goals in these games would appear to have scuppered their chances. They did get back on track with a win and a clean sheet against Newcastle, but the Geordies have been playing the 19th hole for some time now. Oh and they lost to Villa in the Cup for good measure! So it’s all doom and gloom ahead of the DGW? Perhaps not, as their games are against West Brom & Hull who between them have managed just 11 goals in their last six games. Therefore we reckon that there’s a decent chance that Simon Mignolet can add to his 13 clean sheets over the course of the DGW. At £5.3m the Belgian is cheaper than Martin Skrtel and is currently the same price as Alberto Moreno, the two defenders who you would expect to start both games in the double.

Of course Chelsea & Liverpool are not the only teams to have a double, we also need to take a look at the keepers of Leicester & Hull. Leicester are now playing their best football of the season and with three wins & a draw in their last six they may yet avoid the drop. They do have the league’s 3rd worst defence while only QPR have kept less clean sheets, however two of their six clean sheets have come in their last five games. While it’s unlikely that they will keep a clean sheet against Chelsea they surely have a good chance of picking one up against a Burnley side who have scored just once in their last six, and following their double they have four games remaining from which a couple of clean sheets are not beyond the bounds of possibility. Therefore Kasper Schmeichel could prove excellent value at just £4.4m and as he demonstrated against Swansea last weekend he is a good bet for those save bonus points. I can’t bring myself to tip a Hull keeper, mainly because it’s unclear which one will start and even if we did know whether McGregor or Harper would start, I’m not sure if we’d tip one of them.

Looking beyond DGW34 and two keepers that are worth some consideration are Arsenal’s David Ospina and yes you’ve guessed it, Southampton’s Kelvin Davis. If you’re on a WC this week or you feel that your team is already well set for GW34 the chances are you’ve already turned your attention to Arsenal’s DGW in GW37. The Gunners obviously face Chelsea this weekend and while they could conceivably hold Chelsea scoreless it’s the games beyond that are of most interest and with six games remaining Ospina could very well pick up three or four clean sheets and at just £4.9m he’s the cheapest guaranteed starter in a defence that have conceded just three in their last six games. Davis features once again because he’s just £4.5m and plays behind the leagues tightest defence!

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Defenders

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[/three_fourth]Given the fact that Chelsea have won their last two games 1-0 and have scored just nine in their last six games there is a solid argument to be made for doubling up on their defence for the DGW. If money isn’t an issue the obvious choices are Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry. Jose clearly set out to keep things tight against United and he will undoubtedly do the same against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon and while neither Terry nor Ivanovic have picked up any attacking returns of late there is always the chance of them nicking a goal from a set piece. Should you be reluctant to double up then we would slightly favour Ivanovic just because of his greater attacking returns and for those of you who like a gamble you could even throw him the armband. For those of you short of a few bob you might want to consider Cesar Azpilcueta. There was a time around Christmas and the New Year when Azpi was subject to a good deal of rotation but he has started eight of the last ten games. While he is not guaranteed to start both games it’s worth remembering that two wins for Chelsea will see them crowned champions and that means that Jose will start his first choice XI in both games. It’s worth noting that he has picked up two bonus points in each of the last two games, in fact he’s now got more baps than Terry & Ivanovic and at £6.1m he can’t be ignored.

On paper Liverpool have a relatively easy DGW, both West Brom & Hull aren’t renowned for their goalscoring exploits. It’s just unfortunate that Liverpool have a terrible habit of making things difficult for themselves. As we have alluded to above, Liverpool’s defence had stumbled upon a magic recipe for clean sheets, unfortunately they spoiled it by conceding six in two games against United and Arsenal. Assuming they can rediscover their form against average teams (the Cup doesn’t count!) it’s safe to assume that the majority of managers will be considering at least one Pool defender ahead of the DGW. The standout candidates, if you can call them standout, are Martin Skrtel & Alberto Moreno. On first glance you might think that Skrtel is the better pick but a quick look at their underlying stats would in fact suggest that of the two Moreno is the one to go with. With Moreno operating more often than not as a wingback this obviously leads to him getting forward quite a bit and while he has only scored twice this season he’s regularly involved in the oppositions half. The fact that the Spaniard is £0.6m cheaper than the Slovak also needs to be considered. This is not to suggest that Skrtel should be ignored, far from it. With 22 bonus points to his credit he has accumulated more than any other defender this season, while he is always a threat from set-pieces.

Moving onto Leicester and there are a number of budget options available. Wes Morgan and Robert Huth have both impressed of late, with Morgan claiming a goal and an assist as well as two baps in his last four games, while Huth scored in the recent win over Swansea. Morgan is priced at £4.4m while Huth is £0.3m more, and a quick look at the underlying stats of the two in recent weeks would suggest that Morgan carries a slightly greater threat. Both appear in less than 1% of teams and are therefore excellent differentials and as both are relatively cheap you can simply bench them should you not require them in recent weeks. Finally, it’s worth noting that the Foxes have kept clean sheets in two of their last three home games and five of their remaining seven games are at home.

The chances are that the only managers considering a Hull defender this week are those who are on a WC and even then it’s a gamble. Should you decide to take a punt Paul McShane would appear to be the best candidate. Why? Well he’s started the last nine games and is only £3.9m. He even scored a goal in GW31!!

Moving onto those defenders who do not have a double this week and there are a few who are worth a mention, they are Southampton’s Maya Yoshida, Burnley’s Kieran Trippier and Stoke’s Philipp Wollscheid. Yoshida has started the last two games for the Saints, against Hull because Alderweireld was moved to full back and against Stoke because Koeman played three at the back. With Victor Wanyama still suspended and Alderweireld possibly out injured there is a good chance that Yoshida will remain in the team and at just £4.1m he potentially represents great value. Burnley are not in great form, but they do have five decent fixtures remaining. Against Everton last weekend Trippier put in a number of impressive crosses to highlight his potential for attacking returns and he will surely pick up a clean sheet or two from the remaining games. Stoke haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last five games, but with three of their remaining games against Sunderland, Swansea & Burnley, Wollscheid could be good value for money over the remaining games.

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Midfielders

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[/three_fourth]We’ll start with the Liverpool midfield rather than Chelsea on the basis that there’s potentially more to choose from, while they also carry more risk. There are three clear candidates to choose from…Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson. Let’s take a quick look at how each has performed over the last six gameweeks. Each of them have started the last six games, with Sterling claiming a goal, three assists and a solitary bonus point in that period, Coutinho has a goal, an assist and three bonus points, while Henderson has four goals, two assists and seven bonus points. These basis stats would clearly suggest that Henderson is the best option, however it must be remembered that a certain Steven Gerrard only played 28 minutes in this period and there is no doubting the fact that Henderson performs better when Gerrard isn’t about. Gerrard is now fit, but will he start both games? Regardless of whether Gerrard is about I actually believe that Henderson is the best bet of the three as we approach the DGW and at just £6.7m he is considerably cheaper than the other two. While Coutinho’s above stats may not make for great reading those that have seen him play this season will have realised that he is the creative spark within the team and his underlying stats back this up, unfortunately he often assists the assister! Where both Coutinho and Sterling start against West Brom this weekend will largely depend on whether Daniel Sturridge is fit to start, both have led the line in his absence. Of the two I’d favour Sterling simply because he carries the greater threat in the box. So there you have it, ahead of the DGW I’d go in order of preference Hendo, Sterling, Coutinho.

The Chelsea midfield is much more straightforward! If you don’t already own Eden Hazard, go out and buy him you daft brush! Simply put, he is in my humble opinion the only ‘must have’ for the DGW. From an FPL point of view we always knew that he was talented but he was oft criticised for lacking consistency, but no more. In his last six games he has picked up four goals, two assists and 11 bonus points. As he proved against United on Sunday, he is now a player for the big games and therefore we fully expect him to take centre stage as Chelsea look to wrap up the title in the next two games. The only other realistic option from the Chelsea midfield is Cesc Fabregas. The Spaniard leads the way with a league best 17 assists, but with doubts hanging over Costa, Remy & Drogba many have posed the question, who will Fabregas assist? This however may lead Jose to play the Spaniard as a false 9…I can see it now, Fabregas scoring the winner for Chelsea on his return to the Emirates. Wherever he plays he will want to show the Goonies what they’re missing and with the Arsenal game likely to be more open than the United game, this should give Fabregas more space to do his thing.

Esteban Cambiasso would appear to be tailor made for the DGW, he’s cheap & he’s in good form. With three wins and a draw in their last six, Leicester sit 9th in the current form table, scoring 10 times during this period, the fact that they had managed just 24 in their previous 26 games just highlights have much of an improvement they have made of late. Cambiasso has played a significant part in this revival, scoring one and picking up two assists in his last three games and at £4.8m he’s great value for money ahead of the double. For those of you who can’t stretch to £4.8m for the Argentine you could take a punt on Andy King! The 26 year old has scored twice in the Foxes last three games and is priced at just £4.2, unfortunately he has been in and out of the team this season and does not appear to be a guaranteed starter, hence the punt!

The only people considering a Hull midfielder ahead of the DGW are surely those who have lost a bet! If this is you we would advise you stop making silly bets. If you must bring one of them into your side we would suggest you consider Mo Diame. Despite missing 16 games due to injury he is still the clubs joint 2nd highest goal scorer with 4 four goals. Steve Bruce has introduced the Senegalese from the bench in the last two goals but with the Tigers desperate for points he will surely start away to Palace this weekend.

Looking beyond the double and we’ll leave you with two midfielders to think about, Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey and Stoke’s Charlie Adam. Since making his most recent comeback Ramsey has been in great form and has looked like the player who took last season’s FPL by storm, he has two goals, three assists and six bonus points from four games. Following this weekend’s game against Chelsea they’ve got a great run in to the finish which obviously includes their double and at £8.6m the Welsh international could prove a shrewd investment. With two goals and an assist in his last four Charlie would appear to be finding some end of season form. To be perfectly honest picking someone from any of the mid-table teams is a risk at this stage of the season but given Adam’s form and the fact that Stoke have a number of relatively easy fixtures he could be worth the punt.

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Forwards

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[/three_fourth]With Chelsea and Liverpool both involved in the double you would assume we would lead off with a forward or two from either team, but no that honour goes to Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy. In recent years both Wigan and Sunderland have borrowed Steve McQueen’s bike in their pursuit of a great escape and this season it would appear as though Leicester have the keys. He has started each of the last five games playing through the middle or out wide left, scoring two as well as picking up two assists in this period. With David Nugent injured Leonardo Ulloa is likely to lead the line and with a goal and an assist in his last two he’s also worth some consideration. Despite significant interest being shown in both this week, they are the most in demand forwards, they still represent superb differentials with Vardy featuring in just 3.2% of teams and Ulloa in 5.5%.

Given the current fitness status of Chelsea’s Diego Costa, Loic Remy & Didier Drogba as well as Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge it makes it difficult for us to tip any of them. Of course if any of them are passed fit ahead of the weekend they could prove a canny acquisition. Our advice to you would be to check back with us on Friday afternoon when Cookie will bring you all the news from around the grounds, and rumour has it he’s been working on another poem. Before we move on from the DGW I suppose we should at the very least mention a Hull forward. Dame N’Doye!

There are a number of forwards in great form who don’t feature in this week’s DGW and top of the pile is Christian Benteke. While Tim Sherwood may not be the messiah which he believes himself to be, he does appear to have the knack of getting forwards who have forgotten where the goal is, scoring again. He did it last season with our mate Adebayor and he’s done it again this season with Tekkers. The Belgian has eight goals and an assist in his last six games and as we saw in the season before last, when he’s fit and in form he will take some stopping. It’s not just Benteke who’s playing well, Villa as a team are in good form and have taken 10 points from the last 18 available, so there’s no reason for the goals to dry up. For those of you in need of a differential over the remaining weeks Benteke is your man, he currently features in just 3% of teams and to sweeten the deal he’s currently only £7.5m.

Our final tips this week are none other than Sergio Aguero and Olivier Giroud. Some players deserve an extra bit of leeway when they’re out of form, and Sergio Aguero is certainly one such player. Having failed to register either a goal or an assist in four straight games a significant number of fickle fantasy managers dropped him and his price subsequently dropped to £12.4m. Following three goals in his last two games those very same managers are rushing back to the Argentine and his price is again on the up. An inform Aguero coupled with a relatively easy run in for City has one thing written all over it, goals. Giroud has been one of the most consistent forwards since the turn of the year scoring nine goals in 12 games and only on three occasions has he failed to register either a goal or an assist. Thanks to Arsenal’s blank last week his price has dropped to £8.6m and given Arsenal’s remaining games you should certainly be giving him some consideration.

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Thanks for reading Kops Fantasy Football Tips Gameweek 34. This article was written by Kop Warrior

Follow @KenLyons79

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WooFBet

We would like to remind you that our official partners, WooFBet, are again running a whole host of prize competitions for DGW34, which will please many of you who are slowly building a lovely retirement nest egg, while others continue to persevere in the hope that this week will be their week! If you haven’t done so yet we recommend you get yourselves over to WooFBet.com as this week they have over €300 in free entry prizes and a whopping €1,850 in guaranteed pots. You also have the option to create your own tournaments and head-to-head challenges. Choose your rules and buy-in fee, and invite friends or leave it open for the public to challenge you.

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Don’t forget to vote in this week’s Captain Poll

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