New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2016/17. Best of the rest!
Having already taken a look at the summer signings of United, Liverpool, West Ham, Southampton, City, Leicester, Chelsea & Crystal Palace we have now decided to take a look at the best of the rest! Some clubs have clearly been more active than others but that’s not to say that quantity is more important than quality. Certain clubs have not been covered in previous articles and have again not been mentioned below simply because their acquisitions are unlikely to hold any fantasy merit. Unfortunately we cannot see into the future and because of this we may have missed one or two signings who could have an impact on FPL. Should you spot someone please feel free to let us know.
Georginio Wijnaldum
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[/three_fourth]We’ve already published an article relating to a number of Liverpool’s signings. However since that article hit the site Jurgen Klopp has signed yet another attacking midfielder. We’ve lost count as to how many of them they have at this stage! Wijnaldum joined Newcastle last summer on the back of four seasons at PSV. His stats at PSV make for quite impressive reading as he scored 40 goals in 109 appearances for the Dutch side. He was the standout player in a Newcastle side which was relegated last term and he finished the season with 11 goals from 38 appearances. So where does he fit in at Anfield? In a 4-2-3-1 system he could feature on the left side of the 3, in the number 10 position or there is even a chance that Klopp may consider in the double pivot. In a 4-3-3 system he could feature on the left of a front 3 or as the most attack minded player of the midfield 3. Clearly the Dutchman is versatile but the problem for fantasy managers is that Klopp has a host of options available at his disposable for any of the positions in which he might consider Wijnaldum. At £8.0m he’s cheaper than both Firmino & Mane but is more expensive than the likes of Milner & Lallana. For now I don’t believe he warrants any consideration but this could change dramatically as the season develops.
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Jordan Ibe
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[/three_fourth]Jordan Ibe has long been regarded as a prospect at Anfield. Unfortunately for both him and the club he never quite managed to make the step up and after 5 ½ years at the club he has departed as a prospect. Many will argue that he wasn’t given enough opportunities at the club making just 58 appearances during those 5 ½ years. When Raheem Sterling left for City many expected Ibe to fill the void and while he did play 1,177mins last season the majority of this playing time was from the bench and he finished the season with just a goal and three assists to his name. He was never a fantasy option during his time on Merseyside, is this likely to change now he’s on the south coast? Having shelled out a club record £15m on Ibe it’s highly likely that he will go straight into the starting xi with Eddie Howe likely to see him as a direct replacement for the departed Matt Ritchie. Ibe probably played his best football under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers and with Eddie Howe adopting a similar philosophy to that of Rodgers the youngster should fit in well. The Cherries have quite a tough set of opening fixtures so for now it might be best so sit back and see how Ibe adapts to life as a regular starter in the PL. However at £5.5m he could yet become an ideal 4th or 5th midfielder depending on your system.
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Matt Phillips
We don’t want to alarm you but Tony Pulis has only made one signing during the current transfer window. What’s alarming about this you say? Well the fact that it’s an attacking signing with some fantasy relevance is somewhat disconcerting. But at £5.5m Phillips is certainly an option particularly when you consider West Brom’s opening fixtures. Phillips has two PL seasons under his belt and with QPR back in the 2014/15 season he managed three goals and eight assists. Now I realise it’s Pulis who picks the team and not technical director Nick Hammond but Hammond has suggested that Phillips could be played centrally behind Salomon Rondon. Historically Pulis teams have struggled for goals and this has meant his offensive players are ignored in fantasy circles but Phillips could turn out to be the man that changes that.
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Vincent Janssen
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[/three_fourth]Spurs have treated Harry Kane like a cart horse since he broke into the first team. Over the past two seasons he has made just over 100 competitive appearances for the club. Throw into the mix the Euro U21s last summer and the Euro’s this summer as well as the odd trip to Oz it’s no wonder the bloke looked knackered when playing for England this summer. It has therefore come as no surprise to see Spurs sign another striker. Janssen has enjoyed something of a meteoric rise as it was only back in in early 2015 when he was still plying his trade in the Dutch 2nd division. After securing a move to AZ he got off to a slow start in the Eredivisie but finished the season in sensational form, ending with 32 goals from 49 appearances in all competitions. Now I realise you’re going to say, ‘but it’s only the Dutch league’, however let’s not forget the impact that both Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Suarez had after joining from the Dutch league! The Dutchman is said to have a decent turn of pace and is comfortable with the ball on either foot, while he is also said strong on the ball. All these traits which should see him adapt to life in the PL. Pochettino clearly favours a 4-2-3-1 formation so for now Janssen is likely to act as back-up to the aforementioned Kane. However with CL football on the horizon for Spurs, Janssen is unlikely to have to wait very long to show us what he can do. With a price tag of £8.0m he’s unlikely to feature in many teams at the beginning of the season but is potentially one for the watch list.
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Fixture Tracker – the first 6 games
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Vote on our Captain Poll Now
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Hey guys new to the site, could you rate my team please? Cheers
Butland(jakupovic)
Shaw, Gabriel, Baines(Francis, Friend)
Fabregas, Silva, Townsend, Lamela (Watson)
Aguero, Ibrahimovic, Long
Will swap silva for ozil, when ever ozil starts playing
Hey sauceman, welcome to FF247.
Decent looking team on the whole, I think.
I’ll point out a couple of things – firstly, I’m not 100% on Butland or any Stoke defender at the mo – opening fixtures are not brilliant plus I saw Marc Wilson tweeting, saying that they can’t defend set pieces and don’t do any specialist defensive training!!
Gabriel – great value but will they keep clean sheets to start with? From GW4 defo.
The rest looks fine to me – personally I’d want Hazard in there, but you can’t have everyone and Kun and Ibra limit much of what you can do – that’s not a critcism, more a general observation.
Cheers
the value of fabregas makes me overlook hazard. im not so convinced of gabby but the cover of shaw and baines is enough for me. wilson is a midfielder and just a sub at that. so im not worried bout watfords defensive woes. still might change him though. i could switch gabby for another 4.5 starter, then have erikson and drinkwater, as opposed to lamela and townsend. cant decide which duo is better
Morning Cookie looking fwd to the game this after noon The Pool looked very good yesterday Firmino starting to interest me there MF looks very strong.
Morning Silvers,
we are away all week so not seeing any footy at the mo, unfort. That was a great win for Liverpool y’day for sure – confirms my thought that a Liverpool mid is essential as they will be predominantly free scoring with minimal rotation worries due to no Euro action.
Anywhere nice mate , yes I also like this Origi looks very lively but not sure he’s going to start , do we know how lg Sturridge is out for.
Silvers, we’ve been lucky enough to be given the chance to look after a villa for a few weeks, up in the hills, away from the crowds in the middle of nowhere – its lovely mate.
Kop – yes I agree, but I think that is compensated by the fact that Liverpool will score enough goals, Mane will go to ACM, Sturridge is and will get re-injured, Coutinho will get injured, so Firmino looks the best value to me.
Nice one Cookie , have a good break , Kop are you or have you any Pool in your team I thk they will do well this season Lovren is also starting to look a better player.
Silvers, I think Firmino is in my current draft. A lot may change after the charity shield though.
My concern with the Liverpool midfield is that the goals will be shared around.
Great write up Kop couple of interesting signing there Ibe interests me at 5.5m the others I will keep an eye on cheers again mate.
Cheers Silvers
Great article kops, couple of interesting picks there
Morning all, could I have some thoughts on my current set up?
Lloris
Shaw – Aina – Baines
Hazard – Martial – Alli – Deulofeu
Aguero – Musa – Gray
Jakupovic – Hojbjerg – McAuley – Smith
Aware of my defensive issue but need to find some money from somewhere. Thoughts on this? Do you see Lamela as a decent trade-off for Alli or not?
Musa will depend on today really.
Further, I would have an attacker and defender from both Everton and Spurs GW1; not a fan of this.
Need Liverpool cover? Want Firmino but think I want a Spurs attacker more.
Thanks in advance.
AT, I really liked it as I went through it and then I saw the strikers!
Could you go with Firmino and Lamela instead of Alli and Deulofeu?
Cookie, yeah the strikers may be a bit too much of a risk – which strikers would you say are preferable? I had Rooney but thought it was overkill with a United mid and Lukaku + Deu was too much as well. Can’t afford the likes of Kane and don’t think Janssen will start.
I could but it would involve squeezing another £0.5m out of somewhere and I think I need to actually find money to improve the squad. I may risk going without a Pool mid given their first five fixtures (well, four of them).
AT, my honest answer is I don’t know!!! I
Am waiting until after today to decide anything definite – with so many players expected not to be ready for the start of the season and with so many managerial changes I am half tempted to do what many are critical of and play my wildcard for after GW3 and just start with those we defo know are ready, fit and have had a preseason!
That’s one option anyway.
Hi all, any views on:
1) Remond, Ramsey, Townsend
2) Tadic, Barkley, Bolasie
Or Barkley could be Siggy.
Cheers!
1 if it’s Siggy