New Fantasy Premier League Transfers 2018/19 – Riyad Mahrez and Ben Foster
Welcome to New Fantasy Premier League Transfers 2018/19 – Riyad Mahrez and Ben Foster. Two familiar faces and yet their transfers create uncertainties that must not be ignored. Well, I guess Foster’s could be but I just do what I am told. Mahrez’s £60m move is an indicator of his quality and whilst Ben Foster joins Watford for a relatively tiny £4m, his guaranteed route into a once solid West Brom backline will be fondly remembered by many a fantasy manager. Pre-empting that many of you are here to read about Mahrez, I have put him first.
Riyad Mahrez
Manchester City
FPL Price: £9.0m
I just love watching Mahrez play. Do not worry though, this article won’t take a weird ‘Rosco turn’. Mahrez’s tricky playstyle juxtaposed Jamie Vardy’s directness almost poetically at Leicester. There is one major negative about the transfer from a fantasy perspective though. It is an obvious one, but then you are not reading this as a result of paying me on Patreon and clicking on the article did not throw a barrage of unwanted video adverts and betting pop-ups at your computer screen, so it could be worse!
Anyway, I digress. The negative: whilst I cannot wait to see how he links up with Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, and the rest of Manchester City’s hyper-talented squad, picking him would also leave me a nervous wreck waiting for the line-up to be announced every weekend to see if he is even in the hyper-talented squad that day and disappointed when he is sometimes (inevitably) not there. Perhaps for the first few gameweeks at least, with Raheem Sterling sunning it up somewhere for almost bringing football home, Mahrez might offer a decent route into the thereafter unpredictable City attack.
Excluding goals scored whilst he was not on the pitch, Mahrez scored or assisted 46.9% of Leicester’s goals last season. Leicester only scored 56 goals. City scored 106. I am not suggesting that Mahrez will score or assist 50 goals next season, of course, but even 30% would do! If the game had been released a week later, after City had signed Mahrez, I would have been surprised to see the Algerian listed for £9.0m.
Leicester’s title-winning season saw Mahrez rack up 17 goals and 10 assists which he replicated to an extent last season with 12 goals and 11 assists given that he was not on penalties last year, which accounted for four of his title-winning tally. The 2016/17 season was a difficult one for a Kante-less Leicester and Mahrez in which he only managed six goals – three of which were penalties – and four assists. However, more promisingly, his shots and key passes were not significantly different to the other two seasons.
With a current record of nine penalties scored out of 13, I highly doubt the newcomer will oust both Aguero and Jesus from penalty duties. Indeed, it might be better if he does not! Mahrez had a large role in corners for Leicester and so, given that De Bruyne is De Bruyne, this must be factored into the newcomer’s value. However, only two of his assists came from corners last year despite taking over 80 of them, and he has only ever assisted one other goal from a corner.
Ultimately, any City attacker is a risk this year except Kevin De Bruyne. £9.0m is a lot of money if it is used to warm the bench with (although, rather amusingly, City’s substitues/professional bench warmers cost a lot more than that!) but, as Mito pointed out in his Ramblings article, City’s fixtures after the Arsenal game are too good to miss. I will be taking the rough with the smooth – and the rotation is pretty rough – but last season’s promoted teams along with this season’s in a GW2-7 multipack is as smooth as it gets (no weird imagery in the comments, please). Let us hope that the Community Shield sheds some light on Pep’s plans. We can but hope.
Ben Foster
Watford
FPL Price: £4.5m
Watford Player of the Season 2007 Ben Foster returns to the club, seemingly to replace loanee Orestis Karnezis who has returned to Italy. Heurelho Gomes appears to be looking for a move away from Vicarage Road which would leave Foster to battle it out against 19-year-old Pontus Dahlberg for the starting berth. It is an apprenticeship rather than a battle that Javi Gracia has in mind though with Dahlberg expected to learn from Foster from the sideline and in training whilst the latter wears the gloves week in week out.
Although Watford’s first three fixtures look okay on paper, Watford conceded 64 goals last term, a figure only beaten by West Ham and Stoke. Watford fans are expecting/hoping that the club fork out for an established centre-back, which could increase the appeal of Foster from a clean sheets point of view.
The visit of Brighton in Gameweek 1 is a promising induction for the goalkeeper though given that Chris Hughton’s men only managed to score 10 goals on the road all last season. This dismal figure was even bettered by Huddersfield who seemingly spent much of last season just trying not to lose. This opening day generosity continues into the following two gameweeks; Burnley only managed to score 16 at home last season and Crystal Palace 16 away (although, like a good ‘friend’ on FIFA, Palace only started trying halfway through (the season)!).
After that they have visits from Spurs and Manchester United followed by Arsenal away in Gameweek 7 before a relatively kind string of fixtures up until the third international break after Gameweek 12. At least against the two North London clubs, Foster’s points are more likely to come from saves. Foster recorded 99 saves in 37 matches last season, 16 fewer than the previous season. The Watford duo of Karnezis and Gomes chalked up 93, which was 24 fewer than Gomes managed the year before that. Six of one and half a dozen of the other, really, but not all too close to Lukasz Fabianski’s 137 of last season. Last year, Watford’s keepers faced 2.7 fewer shots per game than the number Foster and Boaz Myhill were exposed to behind the Baggies backline (although that was still an average of 10.9).
Thanks for reading New Fantasy Premier League Transfers 2018/19 Riyad Mahrez and Ben Foster. This article was written by AT
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Is Zabeleta nailed at West Ham?
If not, any 4.5’s at West Ham or Leicester nailed?
These 2 teams rotate with Cedric early doors
Is Morgan still the captain? If he’s not nailed, then I wouldn’t trust any of their 4.5m to be nailed, both Fuchs and Simpson were heavily rotated last season. The thing is Maguire and Evans should be CBs, so perhaps Morgan is nailed if they play 3 at the back only… Too risky perhaps…
Zabaleta and maybe Ogbonna nailed at West Ham, I don’t know, they have only two defs that aren’t 4.5m though so some of them has to be nailed 🙂
I don’t think any Leicester 4.5’s are nailed as such, Morgan could be the best shout.
For West Ham Zabaleta is the most likely 4.5 to start, but a combo of his age and their fixtures terrify me.
I’m personally rotating Cedric with Tomkins, I feel like they rotate quite well for at least the first 6-7 weeks and by then we will find out who the budget cheapos are.
Something tells me Leicester won’t have Schmeichel or Maguire come deadline day and so I’d be steering well clear.
Don’t think there is anyone at Leicester in that bracket. If Maguire goes they will bring someone else in
I think Fredericks will be RB at West Ham
Ok so I’m closer to being happy now!
Gonna go with the trusted 343
Plan is to swap Eriksen to Sane/KDB and get Arsenal cover in GW3.
Thoughts?
Cheers for everyone’s help today btw
I like it. Any reason not to start with Sane or is that just because you prefer Spurs’ opening two? Tosun is tussling with (God forbid!) Niasse to be our main striker so keep an eye on that situation.
Cheers innit.
Yeah opening 2 fixtures for Spurs are decent and could be a little differential to start.
Didn’t know that about Tosun. Would have to go Arnie if that’s the case -which I would have anyway apart from fixtures
Looks good to me
Will Erik play straightaway after WC duty ?
World Cup is over, mate 😉
I think he will be playing!
Yeah he’s already playing
Ok boys.
Ok, I can’t resist any longer. Can I request my first RMT please folks? Issues I’m considering are:
1) only 1 city attacker doesn’t seem enough. How best to crowbar Kun in there? Auba is the easy swap, but kinda like him. Can I raise 1.5 anywhere and swap Firmino?
2) I know Daniels is very risky. What’s the best 4.5 alternative? And please don’t say Cedric 😉
3) lack of any Chelsea. Should that bother me?
4) why no love for Laca? It all seems to be about Auba?
Thanks!
Hi Banjo.
1) I’ve gone Aguero over Auba. I know Auba still seems to do the business on LW but I don’t like it
2) Daniels is a transfer waiting to happen. I think Wolves will be solid so Boly
3) it’s too early to judge Chelsea as we don’t know who will be there. Fabregas might be good, keep an eye on Luiz
4) Yeah I’m not sure Laca could be good value just don’t like Arsenal’s first two
Hey Banjo,
1. I’ll probably double up on City myself. But yeah you need to sacrifice. I’d like 2 Liverpool attackers also so maybe look at how to downgrade Firmino and get Keita for Richarlison?
2. Not looked properly yet so couldn’t say but I don’t think Daniels is the right choice.
3. Not necessarily right now. We don’t really know who’s going and who’s staying, how they’ll line up or even if they’re worth it.
4. No idea, you picked him
Thanks guys.
Luiz is on the radar from Chelsea. I’m not a big fan of the Keita idea (although I know little about him!). Just seems there’s lots of players ahead of him at Liverpool to pick up the points. If I want to keep 2 city and 2 Liverpool attackers it seems I need to lose Auba. How does Auba, Richarlison & Davies to Kun, Mkhi & Luiz (or any other 5.5 defender) sound?
Then I have no spurs 😉
Lovren won’t be back for the start though right?
Good point which I hadn’t considered! If maguire goes to United that could change things too.
If Matip is injured will Lovren be rushed back
They could go with Gomez at centreback.
This might be of interest to you in deciding between the two, Banjo: https://twitter.com/Fpl_AT/status/1022504457400209408?s=19
Still undecided myself. Hopefully preseason sheds some more light.
Think it already has Laca down middle with Auba on left
Cheers AT. That’s very useful. If Laca is guaranteed to play, and is playing down the middle, then surely he’s better value at 9.5? I’ve not seen a lot of arsenal so maybe I’m missing something. The vast majority on here seek to be supporting Auba.
Anyone know who’d be on pens?
Auba I think
Banjo,
Aubayemang is the first choice penalty taker.
In today’s match Emery started Laca central & Auba just off him on the left and had them interchanging in the 2nd half.
Auba is by far the better player and will likely play more 90mins than Laca.
Auba is a better finisher and more prolific goalscorer….he’s just better mate hence the price difference.
I think here it’s very much a case of you get what you pay for.
Yeah I’d say that’s fair. Think they are both good options. Auba prob 1.5 million better
Banjo, you may have missed the new version being launched –
https://fantasyfootball247.co.uk/fantasy-premier-league-set-piece-takers-2017-18/
Cookie, thanks for the info. That makes sense.
And cheers Init, I hadn’t seen that.
Seems very difficult to get Kun, Auba & Salah in a balanced team.
Downgrading Sane to Silva could be an option…
Schurrle at 6 million. That’s interesting
Cheap, but good and cheap? One for the watchlist I think
.
Probably wise
Rob Green joins Chelsea:
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/26/transfer-news-roundup-chelsea-rob-green
Bench warmer and #3 spot? Hart or Schmeichel to come, I suppose.
Rumours Clyne has left the tour for family reasons. This coincides with Trent’s shortened holiday and being available from next week
Interesting. If he’s playing he’ll be in my team.
That is interesting. Cheers, Smash. Hope you are well, mate!
Apparently he has become a father? Does that keep you out for a while? Sleepless nights = poor performances
Be interesting if TAA is rushed back though. Will prob take him
They’re saying that Clyne will rejoin the squad for a training camp in France next week.
Maybe not so good then.
My office would agree – I’ve been churning out poor performances for almost 5 years now!
Although it also coincides with my FPL career soooo….
Glad you said your office and not your wife… 😉