New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2016/17. Crystal Palace
We still aren’t quite sure what exactly it was that Pardew and his team had for Christmas dinner, but whatever it was, it disagreed with them massively. Prior to the festivities they’d won 9 games out of 17. Post turkey and sherry they didn’t win another until April. Yes, April! And they won 2 in total after Christmas, out of 21. Quite how they didn’t get relegated probably says more about those that did. But matter not, Pardew excused it all with a run to the FA Cup Final. A quick jig after a brief 2 minute lead said the final was pretty much the highlight of their season then.
Clearly they need to invest, even if it’s just to tread water, and they have so far made a few shrewd moves on the face of it. Well three, to be exact. Townsend, Tomkins and Mandanda. They’ve binned ten players in the process, most on frees or just released but did somehow manage to convince Rafa to fork out £10m for Dwight Gayle. Although in fairness that’s probably his level and he may well thrive there.
We must confess we have held this particular article back. And back. And back. We were waiting for Benteke to arrive but it looks like that one will drag on a bit. It’s worth noting that when / if he eventually does arrive that it will impact on their current starters. Feels obvious to say but one of them will miss out and it could very well be a Zaha or a Puncheon type but it very much depends on how they would then intend to line-up. You’d have to think that the likes of Townsend and Bolasie would still be safe though. Given how long we’ve waited though it’d be sods law that he completes his move an hour after publishing. But hey, you all know who he is and what he does by now so no biggie.
For Palace’s pre-season games, line-ups and general musings here is their link on the Pre-season hub we have created Crystal Palace Pre-season info
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Andros Townsend £6.5m
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Andros had a brief but ultimately successful spell at Newcastle at the end of last season, albeit one that involved being relegated! Granted, that’s not usually a measure of success, but for him personally it was a good spell. He managed 4 goals and 2 assists in just 13 games for the Magpies having been previously ostracised at Spurs despite his early career form there and forcing his way into the England squad as a result. So good in fact that he made Woy’s initial Euro squad this summer but didn’t make the final cut. Much to his relief we imagine, as it turned out. A few good performances at his new club to mirror his impressive Newcastle form and he will surely be back in the reckoning for Sam’s first squad.
For those unaware of him, he’s an attacking winger who can play either side, he’s very direct and quick, likes a shot on sight and will take on some free-kick duties too, probably sharing the direct ones with Cabaye. He could and should be an exciting cut-price fantasy prospect this season. With the early Palace schedule looking kind we would highly recommend taking a look at him or indeed his team-mate Bolasie who is £0.5m cheaper. Either could thrive.
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James Tomkins £5.0m
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The next two signings are both defensive ones and that fact may be significant given that Palace face West Brom and Stoke at home and Sunderland away as well as newly promoted Middlesbrough in 5 of their first 6 games. Palace only conceded 5 less at home than eventual champions Leicester last season and had comparable records to other top six sides like Southampton and Man City, no less. On that basis we’d expect many will be grabbing one of their less expensive options to begin with.
Tomkins comes in at £5.0m so isn’t quite as cheap as Souare at £4.5m but his PPM (points per minute) last season is superior as he only managed 8 less points having played 12 games fewer, if you pro-rata minutes played into 90’s. In all honesty though there’s not a lot we can see that would set him aside as a must have pick over anyone of his colleagues or indeed anyone else. He got exactly zero goals and zero assists last season. And just 3 bonus points. Yeah sure enough he got 8 clean sheets but that was for a different team so it doesn’t really hold water in the ‘arguments for’ camp. Souare got 7, just for the record.
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Steve Mandanda £4.5m
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After being so ‘positive’ about their first defensive recruit we will begin the next with a big warning about the second! Mandanda comes in as a very experienced top flight keeper having been first choice for Marseille for the best part of nine seasons and we fully expect that he will eventually become the Eagles number one choice between the sticks. That’s where the warning comes into play though. Not being avid Palace fans or followers ourselves we asked a trusted source, who is indeed both of the above, about the keeper situation over there and his response was that he expects Mandanda to be first choice but that GW1 may come too soon as he only began training with them on Tuesday this week. If you were thinking of including a Palace keeper then that sounds like a situation which needs monitoring closely in the coming week. Our take on this is that unless he’s arrived 3 stone overweight then a week and a half should be more than enough time to get a keeper ready to go and if he is indeed their intended No1 then we don’t see the need in holding him back but let’s see what the Lord says on the situation this week.
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Fixture Tracker – the first 6 games
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Evening all
Not happy with GK situation but want a decent front line to start! I think a lot of people may wild card early this season!
Evening mate. If we’re sure Lamela is nailed on then yeah i like that team. Very well balanced considering the wad spent on the strikers. Good job :thumbup:
Cheers NIN
I think he does enough in pre-season to merit starting in the squad, whether he keeps his form and squad place is a different matter!
True i suppose, he has scored quite a few now eh?
Decent team. Yeah defence is weak but it is tough ain’t it. I would change McAuley because you already have Foster
Has anyone compiled a list of nailed on 4.5 defenders?
Kone / Friend are the two 4.5’s i have just now. I think they are both safe picks but i could easily be corrected!
Friend, Peters, Mcauley, Evans, Taylor, Kone, Souare, Cathcart, Nyom, Mee and Robertson are probably the options
Cheers lads
That’ll be £10 please
You prostituting yourself now? 😉
If you’re willing to pay….
Hussy!
:kissheart: 😉
He is the best player of a second string team playing against a minnow team though! Siggy is the right call
Doubt many of them will start!
Ospina on the left wing, interesting! #OOP
I’d love to know for sure whether Cazorla will be first choice. Such a great price for an FPL-gold player.
Has he played much pre season? I was expecting him to start but pretty deep so not sure on his points returns
Not a lot. I have my doubts about how nailed on he is but it’s one worth monitoring. Class player.
NIN , IMO he;s a banker to start .
Missed a penalty after 5 minutes.
Hmm, we shall see. If it turns out that way i’ll bring him in pretty damn quickly i tells ya!
What’s the Arsenal team?
It’s above mate
Cazorla scores!
So far Santi’s missed a penalty , grabbed an assist and just scored a cracker …. I rest my case .
Ugh, damn it. Siggy or Santi… Siggy or Santi…. first two games are way better for Siggy but Santi is a beast. :sick:
Put Siggy in and then use a transfer after 2? #geniusiam
He is the best player of a second string team playing against a minnow side though! Siggy is the right call!
Would mean no Big Nose in gw3 unless Aguero gets sold. Could bin Mahrez for Miki instead. Pfft, same jazz really. F**k United
Thought you were shunning beaky completely?!
I’m not starting with any United. Shaw may creep his way back in but i doubt it. Did want that jezebel for gw3 though, then sell him. Screw it, cant be too worried about covering everyone this year perhaps; so many class options, who knows what the best formula will be in any given week.
Well it’s usually an odd one mate. Ever seen 20,000 template teams all huddled together at the top of the leader board. No, me neither.
Indeed, very good point mate. I think this Gray chappy may have won me over.
Evening all, could you take a look and pick the bones out of this team please.
4th mid options are very weak, so much so that i’d make a downgrade and fix one up to a 5.5mln at least. Love the Musa pick so it would be Alli / Firmino out for me.
Trouble is I want both
Something has to give. Watmore / Fletcher are shite fantasy prospects. Things could change of course but i seriously doubt it.
Too many risks Watmore and the 2 defenders on the bench could mean future transfers. So someone has to go to upgrade at least Watmore to 5.5
Ok what about this then .
Interesting
Means Ayew won’t be up top I guess
Good, them Siggy set pieces just got a whole lot more appealing.
Siggy is still on hols I believe
:oogle:
Well i didn’t know that! Hmm, makes Lamela more appealing then!
Sigurdsson reported back for club duty on Monday after being given an extended break following his heroics at Euro 2016 with Iceland.
He scored once – against Hungary – as his nation reached the quarter-finals of the tournament in France.
But his attention is now fully on the Swans, and he’s feeling optimistic ahead of the Premier League kicking off next week.
“It was nice to have some time off but it’s time to get back into training,” said Sigurdsson.
“The season is not far off so I’m looking forward to getting going and starting the season.
Yup
Could be a tough season for Swansea. Maybe best to avoid. They might even sell Williams as well