New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2015/16. Bamford, Lens, Mitrovic, Kaboul
Popular Eurovision beat combo, Bucks Fizz, once sang, “Don’t let your indecision take you from behind”. Wise words indeed. With barely a week left until the first ball of a new season is kicked, most FPL gaffers will be fairly settled with their squad. And judging by Twitter, everyone has pretty much the same squad anyway. But it’s landing on those final 2 or 3 places that cause the most anguish. Tick. 5 days left, and that 3rd striker slot is obviously Deeney’s. But wait… Patrick who? Oh. Well he’s the one. Tock. 2 days left, Mitrovic. Mitrovic! Maybe. Tick. Then those final minutes; the painfully slow logging in as the Premier League website grinds to a Berbatov-like jog. It’s not enough time. It’s not enough time! Tock. Time up. Don’t let your indecision take you from behind.
Here are some words about footballers.
PATRICK BAMFORD (Crystal Palace – Forward – £6.0mln)
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Selhurst Park’s new recruit is so defined by his perpetually nomadic existence that he may be better served changing his name to ‘On loan from Chelsea’. It’s not the most shirt-friendly name to have on one’s back, but why should Jan Venegoor of Hesselink have all the fun? ‘OLFC’ joined the Blues in 2012 and has chalked up 43 goals in just shy of a century of games, taking in the sights of Milton Keynes, Derby and Middlesbrough. Unbelievably, he’s yet to play a single minute for Chelsea. But then, one can’t expect Jose to find room for a promising young English striker when (and this is just an example picked at random) he can pay £140k a week for a 29-year-old who scored 4 goals last season. On the bright side, at least Bamford can finally move to London now, and all the pre-season signs indicate his growth will continue along it’s parabolic path. A few more repeats of his tidy triple against Bromley last week and a return to the deed poll may be in order. ‘Hat-trick’ Patrick anyone?
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JEREMAIN LENS (Sunderland – Midfielder – £6.5mln)
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The arrival of Jeremain Lens gives the Black Cats some welcome balance, and now have genuine attacking width on either flank. We all know about the threat Adam Johnson poses, especially to [comment removed by legal team], but on the other wing it seems Advocaat has found talent to mirror the Englishman perfectly. A left-winger that likes to cut inside and look for goal certainly possesses the qualities to pique FPL interest. Coming from a mixed couple of seasons at Dynamo Kyiv, the Mackem masses will hope the Dutchman can recreate his PSV form which peaked in 2012/13, finding the net 15 times in 30 games. Furthermore, the Dutch Eredivisie saw him regularly register double figure assists. That the Sunderland manager’s brought him to the Stadium of Light is no great surprise, having worked with him at AZ Alkmaar then PSV. By all accounts Lens was the only positive to take from Sunderland’s recent woeful 2-0 defeat at Doncaster. If Dick’s boys can get their act together, his team’s kind start to the season could see fantasy managers soon switch their focus to Lens.
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ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC (Newcastle United – Forward – £6.5mln)
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At £12m, the 20 year-old Serbian international is the Magpies 4th most expensive ever capture. Admirably swatting away interest from both Roma and Porto, Newcastle have managed to secure a striker boasting a bumper 20 goal campaign in Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League (Nope, me neither). In fact, over his two seasons with Anderlecht he’s scored 36 times in 69 games. Impressive for someone so young, and it suggests McClaren has made a very shrewd investment. Self-styled on personal idols Didier Drogba and Alan Shearer, the 6ft 2in Mitrovic will hope to follow the latter into Geordie folklore, and not go the way of, say, Obafemi Martins or Michael Owen. Or Mark Viduka. Or Antoine Sibierski. Or Marlon Harewood. Or Emmanuel Riviere. Described by the new manager as “a real warrior” the Serb does currently lack match fitness and one wonders whether he’ll be thrown into the starting lineup straight away. But he’s definitely one for the Toon Army to get excited about.
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YOUNES KABOUL (Sunderland – Defence – £4.5mln)
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“Younes wouldn’t join Sunderland even if there was an earthquake. We have more interesting options than Sunderland. Don’t even think about it.” Yes. Those were the words of Younes Kaboul’s agent in 2008. Well, 7 years on and despite there being no earthquake, Kaboul clearly no longer had ‘more interesting options’. Not since Pascal Chimbonda, has a player’s arrival stirred such shoulder-shrugging apathy. In fact, this is probably the first most have heard about it. It’s hard to make a case for Kaboul as a fantasy option, when even teammates Van Aanholt and O’Shea have more appeal, and with only 3 goals in 5 years you don’t get much added value, even at £4.5m. He did however get given the armband in the second half of their Doncaster friendly, so one could argue that Advocaat trusts him and is likely to be a somewhat reliable fixture in his eleven. Barrel scraped. Straws clutched. Job done.
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Morning!
Sat here for an hour….. made changes…… then put it all back again! Except Cech…. been swapping him and Courtois alot
Arghhhhhhh
Nice write up Calvin. On loan from Chelsea ha
I’d be worried about Bellerin’s playing time with Debauchy.
+1
Also Steven Taylor is far from certain now that the Congolese defender has signed.
Cheers guys. I am a bit worried about Bellerin. Its just tough to get the extra 0.5 for kos. That would be safer by far. Difficult but will rethink as I dont have much in the way of back up.
Taylor was a 4.0 filler really but open to any options on that. Not sure if any 4 s have been identified as regular players yet
Matt
No 4.0M defenders jumping out at present.
You could do the Bellerin – Kos move if you went Walcott to Caz/Ozil/Ramsey?
Personal taste I know but you can’t really go wrong with any of them really.
Good morning all, not long now!
Morning Smithy,
How’s the team coming along?
Morning Kop, really struggling to be honest. 100m doesn’t stretch very far! The usual doubts over players fitness isn’t helping either.
How’s yours coming along?
It’s getting there. I haven’t spent a huge amount of time on it yet, but I will over the next few days.
Morning smithy, getting excited!
Yeah looking forward just wish Kun was fit and everything would be rosy!!
:biggun:
That easy to fit aguero and Haz hey punk?
Hi please rate my team .thks
Hi arturas
Not liking the Leicester or bust option you’ve gone for on goal.
Maybe downgrade elsewhere to get two competent rotating goalkeepers?
Clyne down to Jenkinson or Walcott down to Cazorla or Ozil would still leave you strong in those areas whilst improving your goalkeeper choice.
Morning all struggling with my team @ present I believe I need Ars & Che cover @ back but with having Haz & a plan to get Kun in it leaves very little else where thoughts on Ars / Che cover ???
Silvers
I think Chelsea is more important in defence than Arsenal, hence the popularity of Azpilicueta. As long as you have maybe Southampton and a three others who rotate well, you shouldn’t need Arsenal in defence.
Their attack is far more important of course
Hey GP my thoughts @ present are Azpil isn’t very Att minded so I’m better with Koz with Count in nets as he should pick up as many point as Azpil I have no Ars in team @ present big mistake I known but finding you can only have 3 premium MF players. I have Sterling , Mane , & Haz with two cheap ones.
Silver, it would only take squeezing 0,5m out somewhere to go Mane -> Arsenal mid?
Question is AT which arsenal mid will outscore mane? Probably only Sanchez…
Arsenal cover cheap midfielder Cocky-Lin; I’m having the same dilemma here. How they rated Wally @ 9.0 I dunno – he could’ve really been one of the most selected mids this year with a lot of £££ to gain as the season went on, now that’s a dream. Kun is kun … so no one can miss out on him.
Any help you’d be most helpful fellow fpl managers think am on my 100th draft.
Mitcho
Just the 100th? 😉
Providing Benteke is ready to start the season, I think this is s very strong squad you have here. Apart from the goalkeeper department.
I’d find another 0.5 to strengthen in there if Hennessey doesn’t move to WBA. Talk is now that Marshall of Cardiff may be going there.
Ki may have to make way to a 4.5 though as the rest looks very good.
cheers,
ok more like the 1000th time ha,
I can see what your saying about the goalkeepers not that happy with that depatment myself but am still stuck on one or two rotating,
Had a good look at the 4.5 mids an there not great i think.