New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2015/16. Cedric, Stekelenberg, Fuchs
Before we get into previewing the latest batch of international superstars joining our beloved Premiership, I want to say first how great it is that the new fantasy season is nearly upon us. The excitement is really building.
It’s been brilliant reading the boards over the last couple of weeks as the regular names/faces return to the site after their long break. And some new faces too! It’s like spring time. The snow has gone and the little green shoots are starting to appear. The little baby rabbits are emerging from their holes. What’s this? A wonderful new world? A time to start a fresh? Such a wonderfully positive time. Do I dare to dream that this could be the year? The year I’ve been laying in my hole thinking about all winter (summer).
So full of optimism. What will the season hold? Will this be the year I make it across the road to that wonderful field of lush green grass? Will this be the season I win my mini league? What to do first? Eat some grass? Pick my team? Eat some more grass? Study the fixtures? The possibilities seem endless and the optimism sky high. The planning. The hope. It’s beautiful.
Statistically, however, that rabbit will be dead within a month and most of us will never see the top 1,000. But we can dream dammit. We can dream.
Let’s talk football. .
The Southampton Two.
Cedric Soares
Southampton
Age: 23
Position: Defender
Signed from: Sporting
Fee: £4.7mln
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With Nathaniel Clyne following the well-trodden path up the road to Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers has already taken the unusual step to announce that the player he sees as Clynes long term replacement at Anfield is Cedric Soares, a promising young German born Portugal international from Sporting Lisbon.
Whilst the £4.7m fee Southampton have paid for Soares won’t turn heads, the right back looks to be the starting option in one of last season’s best defences.
Priced at 5.0m, he’s 0.5m cheaper than the two remaining defenders from last season, Bertrand and Fonte. If we assume that 4.5m Yoshida isn’t going to claim the starting spot alongside Fonte, and that Alderwiereld’s replacement will be priced as at least 5.0m, then Soares will most likely start the season as the most attractive route into the Southampton backline.
The alternatives at this 5.0m price range include the likes of Janmaat, Lescott, Shawcross and Alderweireld himself. It may be a close call choosing between Tottenhma and Southampton, but I definitely fancy a Southampton clean sheet over Newcastle, West Brom or Stoke.
There are a couple of concerns with Soares however. His stats last year (1 assist and 0 goals in 34 games) aren’t in line with the attacking full backs we’ve grown accustomed to over the last few years at St Marys. He also appears to be somewhat of a yellow card magnet. Cedric picked up a booking in every 3 games he played last season, including 3 bookings in 5 Champions Leagues games and a red card in the domestic Cup Final. You have been warned.
Fantasy view: Potentially a cheap route into a historically good defence. Disciplinary concerns. Possible anger issues linked to the fact he’s called Cedric. (Apologies to any Cedrics reading this).
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Maarten Stekelenberg
Southampton
Age: 32
Position: Goalkeeper
Signed from: Fulham
Fee: Season-long loan
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Former Dutch international (and World Cup finalist) Stekelenberg has signed on a season long loan from Fulham, to provide cover for Fraser Forster who is currently expected to be out until March 2016.
Although on paper he faces competition for the number 1 shirt from Kelvin Davis, you’d have to expect that given his pedigree and his history with manager Koeman (he gave Steky his debut at Ajax), he’s a strong favourite to start at least until Forster returns. As mentioned above, if last season is any sort of guide, this could prove to be a decent defence to invest in, with a CS in every 3 games played.
The “But”….. It’s early days in pre-season, but his ownership currently stands at just 1.4%. A sign that fantasy managers are perhaps nervous that with three out of five from the Southampton backline either leaving or injured, the defence might not be as solid as last year.
Add to that, the fact that keepers are priced lower this year. For an extra 0.5m you can have Courtois or Hart.
Fantasy view: Doesn’t offer the value of previous years. Better keepers for the money elsewhere.
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The Leicester One.
Christian Fuchs
Leicester
Age: 29
Position: Defender
Signed from: Schalke
Fee: Free transfer
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F*** off!!! I beg your pardon?! I said Fuchs’ off. Off to Leicester. Oh. Well that’s alright then.
Leicester City have made their first signing of the summer with the free-transfer capture of defender Christian Fuchs on a three-year deal.
The 29-year-old Austria international left-back, has 66 international caps and made 99 career league appearances for Schalke With 2 goals and 4 assists in 20 starts last season, he appears to offer some pretty good attacking potential. The problem is that last season he was part of a 6th place team pushing for a place in the Champions League, whereas this season he’ll be part of a team near the bottom, pushing Paul Konchesky for picking-the-ball-out-of-the-net duties.
The downside (as well as the fact he plays for Leicester) is that he’s priced at a ball busting 5.0m! How did they come up with that?! Rumours are that the early ownership of 0.7% consist entirely of managers who either live in Leicester, and /or want a player with a rude sounding word in their team.
Fantasy view: Monitor pre-season. If he gets the nod to start every game, to play as a striker, take freekicks, and penalties, I might be tempted.
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Rodriguez and Pelle with 2 goals.
7-0 at half time tells me they ain’t playing much of a team 😉
Still nice to see Rodriguez back and scoring.
Anyone know the assists?.
They’re not playing professionals. 😉
Ant
So far assists are :
No assist given
)
No assist given
Clasie
Pelle (rebound)
Cedric (
Stephens
Davis
Considering that Cedric only got 1 assist last season isnt that his 4th assist so far pre season and hasnt he also scored.
yeah
Soton plays different football than most Italian teams. 😉
He could be great value at 5.0m
I watched a video or two of him to see if he was good on the ball and even though it was based on highlights and not his overall game, I did come away impressed with his skill. Looks like he has a bit of pace, good crosser and skilled dribbler. He has a bit of flair to him.
What do you guys use to gather scores/scorers/assists?
In deed he does Mito. One needs to be careful about his tackling; it’s poor and hence the yellow cards mentioned by Chins in his article. I assume Koeman will be on it. Otherwise, he is very good in possession and getting to crossing positions. Also scores the odd goal here and there so at 5m he is interesting.
Cedric didn’t’ play for an Italian team last year, if you were refering to him.
Evening,
I saw someone mention Esteban Cambiasso earlier. He’s announced that he won’t be playing for Leicester this season.
Evening Kop.
It was me looking for Cambiasso, I was hoping he would be back. Thanks for the info Kop.
No worries Matt
Hey Kop I see your going with two 4.5m GK which two are you thinking Sch / Boruc / Butland or other .?? I,m not sure myself have Fab & Sch @ present but not sure how Lec will go
I’m thinking Ruddy and Krul. Really don’t think Schmeichel will be worth it this year.
I’m actually surprised nobody bought Schmeichel yet. Maybe he’ll still move. I fear for his FPL delivery with Ranieri though…
Not sure yet Silver, although one of them will probably be Butland.
Kop,
My thanks, too. I had him on a shortlist of potential fifth mids. Oh well. Thanks to Ranieri?
No I believe Ranieri wanted him back. I was really hoping for him as my 5th mid too.
Does any one thk Young will hold a place @ MU ?????
Only if the are hit with a load of injuries like last season. Otherwise I don’t think he has a chance.
Probably not.
Evening lads. Was thinking earlier about going without Ageuro for the first few games then get him in for GW4. I always seem to mess this up though by miscalculating the money I have left. What do you think of this team with 1.5 mil left in the bank?
Ruddy (Krul)
Cedric Azpi O’Shea (Mings & Hoban)
Sterling Haz Wally Milner (Wanyama)
Rooney Benteke Wilson
This is a much better team MattX just not sure where Sterling will fit in City team could start up front if Kun doesn’t start thk Milner will have good Samson ex Leeds lad good solid team
I dont think thrres an issue about Sterling getting in City’s team.
Cheers Silver. So you think I should keep the 1.5 and then use it to upgrade Rooney to Kun would that even work?? Also I really hate the 4.5 mid in there but I think I’ll just have to suck it up this season. Is Wanyama the best at that price?
MattX Yes save cash for up grid but you will need more also Wany seems only choice @ that price at present 😉
Right Cheers on Wanyama I’m still hoping for someone to come in.
Just checked and I’d need another mil. Where do you think I should get that? I’m thinking in GW4 downgrade Benteke to J.Rod as this will give us a chance to see if he is getting played and will give me that 1 mil plus .5 to use on Rooney to Ageuro?
Evening all!
Does anybody know anything about Aleksandar Mitrovic? Do you think it could be a great addition to FPL? I appreciate it is only the Belgium league but his stats do look good
Evening Mitro. He definitely falls in the category of ‘wait & see’!
+1 I was interested in him the other day but I think Kop is right we should wait and see how he fits in, best example would be The De Jong brothers both went to Newcastle and both haven’t hit it off.
We might of had something more to go off if he’d played in the U-21 tournament so he is still young, I’m not 100% on how Mclaren will be wanting Newcastle to play just yet but I’d imagine Cisse will still be the forward to own for attacking coverage. Early fixture list looks pretty brutal for Newcastle though.
@Mitro, I know him from Fifa 15.
if that’s anything to go by then expect a strong tall very good in the air striker. With very good potential…well I least on Fifa.
And given as Mito has perfected over-head kicks on FIFA I expect he’ll score at least 12 of those :hippo: #whoneedsfix
I am a great crosser of the ball on Fifa. What can I say, I can make Mitrovic play above his skill rating. 😉
From what I’ve seen of Mitrovic he’s good at headering the ball and finishing inside the box but i don’t believe Newcastle have the quality to get the ball into the box as much as they could maybe Wijnaldum will help that but definitely wait and see.