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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Evening all
I have a bit of a defender/keeper conundrum.
Is it better to have 2 x 4.5 keepers that rotate nicely paired with azpi in defence
Or
Coutois and a 4.5 keeper with a 5.0 defender (williams/Cedric)
Or is there an argument for courtois plus a non playing 4.0 2nd keeper with a 5.5 def like merts.
Obviously you can see I want Chelsea cover just not sure of God best way to get it
Cheers
I think Azpi could the best choice as he has attacking potential. If you don’t want to go that way though I’d say next is Courtios and a 4.0 mil GK as your not going to pick them over Courtios unless he’s injured.
Cheers Matt,
No worries mate
Evening chaps..
Fab article from chins
Always top bants..
Anyway, you know Wots coming next..?
Yeo..You got it …another RMT.
In fact it’s a “which is better” team A or B scenario !
Here we go.
BigP
I think the second one for my in a straight choice. However, if Schweinseiger, great midfield that he is, doesn’t do well for fantasy points your midfield looks a little unbalanced with two big hitters and three ‘patchy’ point scorers.
Suggestion might be Azpi – Cedric (you have him in the first one), Schweinsteiger to Cabaye and the saved money to bring Ki up to Henderson or Milner?
That’s pretty much what I was about to say myself GP, spooky. Only I’d gone Payet or Chadli over Cabaye. Only because I believe Cabaye has a bit of a dodgy run fixture wise to begin with. Spurs look good GW2-5 and WHU have 2 nice home games in GW2 and 3.
Init
Yep that would be a good shout as well.
Like it
Spooky
It sure is.
Don’t sneak up on me like that Spooky :see-no:
Cedric….
Seen him in quite a few teams but Do people really think the Saints back line is going to be as tight this year without schneiderlin covering them, clyne gone and Forster injured.
Personally I think Toby or williams could be better options at 5.0
Anyone agree
hammers
They may not be as tight as you say but I think people now are seeing a player who although untested is only 5.0 and is having a positive pre-season offensively. The main man for the solidity of Saints recently, Fonte, is still there so he can perhaps help mould a new defence – Koeman will be hoping so anyway.
They also have a favourable run of games to start the season.
I’m not convinced Spurs will be any more solid to be honest. Lloris too is injured don’t forget.
I like Swansea and Williams is of course a certainty for them but clean sheets are his only means of points – he doesn’t score or assist much at all.
Thanks GP
forgot about loris being injured – until he’s back Toby is definitely one to stay away from then.
@Hammers you could be absolutely right. After all the Saints lost Toby and Clyne. I guess we can lump in Forster since he might be out for most of the season if not all. However many of us had these same doubts last season. Clasie is not a bad player, think he can replace Morgan. Saints lost Lovren and Shaw the season before that and didn’t fall apart, in fact they got better. They added Cedric and are in the market for a CB, if they don’t get one Yoshi will probably play. He might not be a great player but he can do the job required of him. As far as the keeper goes, one would hope that Stekelenburg can regain his old form and be a suitable replacement. We found out last season that Koeman likes his backs getting forward, so I would not be shocked if Cedric did well FPL wise. The wise thing to do would be to wait and see like we did last season when many of us thought they would get relegated or we can trust that they know what they are doing and take a chance and invest now.
Thanks mito.
I might have a bit more of a look at him after that great bit of analysis
I’m not a big fan of the saints for this season, add the Europa league to the above and I don’t see them keeping as many CS’s as last season, I’ll add that I wasn’t high on them at the beginning of last season and that didn’t pan out to well, tbh I just don’t like Southampton.
I’ve got Lovren as one of my 5m defenders from Liverpool, by the looks of it a lot of defensive players prices have been downgraded from last year so I’ve got a lot more of my money tied up on defenders than ever before, no more peasant rotation for me
@Andy after that grumpy-ish comment we have decided that you will draft in the last spot in a non snake draft. 😉
‘We’ or ‘you’?
September’s still a long way off but I’m starting to look forward to my NFL Sunday nights.
They had a special feel to them Andy, looking forward to them too now you’ve said that! They did mean the Fixture article was invariably late but no need to tell anyone that 😉
‘I just don’t like Southampton’,
no arguing with that logic Andy! Fair enough.
On Lovren I’m not sure on their away fixtures. Looks like its a good home game followed by an awful away one from memory. Be nice to have him every other week. Assuming you also have 2 other solid starters may be best to tailor the 2 ‘subs’ around Lovren to cover for that spell?
Lovren? I reckon Sakho starts beside Skrtel.
Yeah that’s true Kop! Forgot about him. Andy I’d go find 2 who rotate with Sakho
I see what you mean hammers. But Koeman plays possession and with Clasie he’ll get just that so I wouldn’t worry too much about clyne leaving. Stakeburger is also very good (on paper, better than Forster one would say?) and they only need to purchase a senior CB to assure us those valuable clean sheets!
*Clyne=Schneider
Right- final draft (for tonight anyway)
Hi hammers, that’s a very strong team throughout. I think you can sleep soundly on that lot.
Hi Hammers
some questions
What do you know of Darmian?
There are a load of new players in new teams going on there?
Is O Shea still as guaranteed with Coates and Kaboul signings?
Not much about darmain tbh other than what I have read on sites like this. Cookie and raz to name 2 were pretty complimentary about him earlier today when I questioned if he would be a starter or not. Just have to keep an eye on pre season. If he looks doubtful I’ll swap the keeper to ddg (if he stays) and swap him for merts.
Oshea was capt I think so I reckon he’ll start, but if it looks doubtful then there are plenty of other 4.5 bench fodder defenders.
Didn’t really notice how many new players/teams I had. Hopefully that’s not a bad thing
Hi guys thoughts on my latest draft?
Courtois
Koscielny-Cedric-Richards
Hazard-Cazorla-Yaya-Milner-Ritchie
Costa-Rodriguez
Hennessey-O’Shea-Muniesa-Sakho
Nothing in the bank
Just read a rumour that Uniteds surprise striker will be Zlatan. If this does happen would it help or hinder Rooneys 20 goal season?? Haha
ZOMG. ZLATAN WOULD BE SO FUCKING AWESOME. Having 2 selfish players in Zlatan and Depay could really work against you though. HAHAHA! On that note, they might be best buddies. 😉
Zlatan actually makes sense if you think about it. Di Maria to PSG and Zlatan plus some money for United.
It’d be great to have a personality like that in the premier league but I don’t think Rooney will touch the ball if Zlatan and Depay have their way. Hahah
Wonder what price Zlatan will be. 11m? Holy shit. Dude is pretty old already as well. 33 years old. You sell 30 year old RvP (who looks 40) and buy Zlatan? Dangerous move. Still not convinced. Would love to see Ibra in the EPL though.
True but Zlatan is a whole different player compared to RVP. If he does come in I’d imagine he’d be 11 mil even 11.5. I think it’d make me sell Rooney though.
I love how Zlatan declined Wenger and Arsenal for Ajax. 😉
He missed out big.
With Zlatan ARsenal would def. won the league a few times more.
You just never know mate. Maybe be wouldn’t have become the player he is if he went to arsenal
Hello Matt, sorry didn’t mean to startle you. In my opinion it will hinder, everyone knows that Ibra does what Ibra wants. If he wants Rooney to just serve him up, that is what will happen.
Leaves one interesting player for United and that’s Ibra. HAHAHA!
Ye that’s what im thinking. Who knows if itll even happen but like Raz says it could end up being a swap deal with Di Maria going the other way.
That would be a scary good deal for PSG. Zlatan might only have a 2-3 years tops of good football left in him before he disappears.
Just Zlatan won’t be enough, PSG were selling him regardless. I think there is not much sell value in Ibra left so they will take that into account. F-ing legend. Past years he was still the best pure number 9.
Ye that’s very true but I think it’d be worth it for United.
Matt, caught Goughie and Durham talking openly about this earlier on Talksport as if it was common knowledge that it’s at least a credible rumour. Would be amazing!
Oh now that does surprise me a little, I just assumed this was one of those paper talk rumours that never happen but it seems that it could be a strong possibility. Like I said I think it’ll be great to have the personality but I think it’ll spell the end of Rooney in my team.
I still rate Zlatan higher than Kun. Can he deal with LvG? Those are the type of players that he has problems with. HAHA.
Ye headstrong I don’t know how they’d react together to be honest.
It surprised me too Matt and I assumed I’d missed something elsewhere but they were chatting away about it and you’d assume these guys know from the station contacts so something’s leaked somewhere.
Ye you’d imagine so. I guess it’ll be over the next few days we’ll see if the rumours persist then it could happen but then if then die down we’ll know the truth.
would be amazing to have Zlatan to choose from
But in his book he says that he doesent like LVG since his time in Ajax, but i really hope that this rumour is true….
They had a scary relationship.
Ye they could have put that behind them now but Im mixed I’d love him for FPL but don’t want to see him playing for and helping United.
I’ve been hearing that Llorente is the mystery signing.
Pele just left the hospital, rumour is that he is on his way for a medical….errr again.