New Signings – Fantasy Premier League 2016/17. Southampton
It has been another summer of turmoil down on the South coast as once more Southampton have lost a number of their key assets. Liverpool clearly felt that they did not have enough ex-Southampton players in their ranks so decided to shell out a reported £34m on Sadio Mane. Spurs splashed out £11m on midfield enforcer Victor Wanyama, while Graziano Pelle has buggered off to China where he will earn a reported £260k per week. The world has officially gone mad! However perhaps the biggest loss will be manager Ronald Koeman who has taken over the reins at Goodison Park. Koeman has been replaced by Frenchman Claude Puel who has spent the past 4 seasons in charge of Ligue 1 side Nice, and prior to that he had spells in charge of Lyon, Lille and Monaco. Over the years he has developed a reputation for developing youngsters and playing an attractive brand of football. This should see him fit in well at Southampton. Although he has big shoes to fill as Koeman had built on the work of Mauricio Pochettino. What he have seen in recent years is that Southampton typically spend their money wisely and judging from their latest two signings they have once more spent wisely.
For Southampton’s pre-season games, line-ups and general musings here is their link on the Pre-season hub we have created Southampton Pre-season info
Nathan Redmond (£6.0m)
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After three years at Carrow Road Redmond decided to leave Norwich after they were relegated for the second time in three seasons. Redmond clearly wasn’t bought by Puel as his appointment was confirmed after the purchase of Redmond, although he has apparently been a long-term target for the Southampton hierarchy and we’ve seen how successful they have been over the years. The 22 year old will undoubtedly be seen as a direct replacement for Sadio Mane, but is he good enough to do so? Last season Mane scored 11 and assisted six while Redmond managed just six goals and three assists. Such basis stats are not always the best means to compare two players and some of the underlying stats suggest that Redmond can replace Mane. He created more chances per 90 minutes than Mane did. Surrounded by better quality players we must assume that more of these chances will now be scored! He’s certainly not the goalscorer that Mane is, he’s only managed to find the back of the net on 18 occasions in 174 league appearances. Although he did get his Saints career off to a flyer yesterday with two goals. Against… Zwolle. I would certainly expect him to pick up more fantasy points than in previous season but whether or not he’s worth considering will be determined by his price.
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Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (£4.5m)
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Just as many will view Redmond as a replacement for Mane they are likely to see Hojbjerg as a replacement for Wanyama. He is a defensive midfielder by trade but can just as easily play as a box-to-box midfielder. The 20 year-old has long been seen as one of Europe’s hottest properties and when he moved to Bayern back in 2013 many expected him to kick onto the next level under Pep Guardiola. Unfortunately it didn’t work out at the German club as he was kept out of the team by Kroos, Thiago and Schweinsteiger. Frustrated by a lack of game time he joined Augsburg on loan in January 2015 helping them to qualify for the Europa League where his tireless running and positivity going forward played an important role. He spent last season on loan at Schalke but struggled to cement his place in the side. What can we expect from him at Southampton? Assuming Puel adopts a 4-2-3-1 formation I would expect Hojbjerg to play as part of a two man holding midfield. He should have the physical strength to adapt to life in the Premier League and I expect Puel will work with him on the training ground to encourage him to get forward on a regular basis. Is he likely to be a fantasy asset? For now I would take a wait and see approach.
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Fixture Tracker – the first 6 games
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Baines, Shaw, Terry, Walker… pick 2
Baines and Shaw I reckon
That’s who I have atm because of expected game time and attacking threat. This is changing everyday though. Thinking about joining whichever 2 up with a Palace and West Brom defender who’ll rotate that 3rd spot
+1
Currently going with Baines & Shaw in front of Courtois.
Anyone think this team could do any good?.
Honestly that forward line just depresses me mate. I know you’ve sacrificed it to be strong everywhere else but it just wouldn’t excite me personally.
Rare team. you sure about going without Aguero and Ibra both? They both can punish you badly and may make you chase your leagues from start of the season, midlooks good but I would atleast get Aguero maybe get rid of De Bryne for him
AnttL No but could do , personally I thk you need at least one off these 3 Kun , Ibra or Kane then start from there It would be nice to have that MF but your fwd line is poor Long could go wELL but Sou have lost their Manager & two off there key players so we need to see how they go . Gray is unproven but he could do well but I don’t thk the team are that good. Wilson I like but his fixtures aren’t that great.
Look at downgrading 1 if not two of your MF and see if you like it I’m not saying change it just have a play with it. 😉
Aguero (c) could very easily destroy your three strikers combined. Dirt cheap frontline is the stuff of nightmares in FPL.
That I do agree with you NIN. You need at least 1, better 2 proven hard hitting forwards. You may regret if say Long/Gray get 8 points amongst them in the first 2 GWs. And Kun scores a double, say in his first game with your league challengers captaining him. Might start playing catch up a little too early.
Get Kun in ASAP!!
Thughts on this team? Not really sure about Carroll, hope West ham buys decent striker ! And as always cracking article guys, made me get Redmond in my team 😉
Very similar to mine mate so it’s a thumbs up. Only difference being you’ve got a stronger bench and I’ve put that extra money into the starting 11.
Can you show me your team too? 😛 Just want too see where you invested
That’s mine currently snookie
This is a decent looking team mate. Personally I wouldn’t have a 5.5 Mil player on your bench and Stoke don’t have the best starting fixtures so I’d change him to another 4.5 mil player.
Yea there are decent options in 4.5m defenders so there will be some changes 😉
Good team Snookie only thing I would consider is changing either Pieters or Tayor Stk rotate with Hull & Swa rotate with Palace looks good I like it
Good team, i like it.
Okay so how to these teams look? Also which one do you like better, I really can’t decide yet.
Team 1
Courtois (Valdes)
Walker Shaw McAuley (Friend and Lenihan)
J.Rod Townsend Ayew Hazard (de Roon)
Ibra Kun Carroll
Could downgrade Valdes to Jakupovic to raise an extra 0.5 mil ?
Team 2
Lloris (Valdes)
Shaw Schlupp McAuley (Friend and Lenihan)
Mihkirtyan Payet Haz Drinkwater (de Roon)
Long Kun Carroll
I still have 1.5 Mil in the bank for this team just don’t really know what to do with it?
How are we Matt thk I like team 2 you could possibly invest in upgrading a couple of your def or what I would do is upgrd Roon to Leadbitter he scored 11 last season & is only 5m plus rotates with Lei then your left with 1m to upgrd def. good effort mate 😉
Unfortunately Leadbitter is injured and misses the start of the season. Regular penalty taker once he is back in though.
Hey Silvers all good here mate how’s things with you?
Leadbitter plays for Boro as well right? Yeah the 1.0 can be split between Lenihan and Schlupp do you think Schlupp will start?
That’s a Shame with Leadbitter (cheers GP) I like your Schlupp pick he has played in friendlies but not sure he will start we will get a better idea of Lei team before kick off
Yeah I like Schlupp he tends to play on the wing if I’m not mistaken and he can get a few assists and goals so could be decent if he plays. Will need to see the community shield match.
Matt
Can Team 2 work with Drinkwater up to some Swansea coverage?
Hey GP. I only have 7 Mil by doing Drinkwater to a Swan but if I downgraded Valdes to Jakupovic then I have the extra .5 to get Siggy or Ayew? Also do you know if Schlupp starts?
Siggy all the way for me especially if he goes to Eve
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking too.
Not sure Matt.
Sure Fuchs will play left back and as for the left side of midfield i’m unsure.
Yeah I just had a look at the preseason tab and it seems that Schlupp has played Left mid in every game.
Another team to throw into the mix which is mostly midfield loaded.
Team 3
Foster (Valdes)
Baines Shaw McAuley (Friend and Lenihan)
Mihkirtyan Payet Haz KDB (Drinkwater)
Lukaku Long Gray
No.
Hey gang, been holding off on a first RMT, but here goes. Sorry for the text, can’t screenshot at work. Pretty bare bones at back, money spent up front.
Cech, Jaku
Morgan, Cedric, Pieters, McAuley, Taylor
Payet, Mahreaz, Cazorla, Dier, Hjoberg
Kun, Ibra, Hernandez
Hey Colriles. I would change Hernandez, I had him but Hulls fixtures are really bad plus they only have 13 players. Also I wouldnt have Dier if he was still classified as a defender than that would be okay but I think he’s too pricey for a DM. Also I was talking to someone the other day and they say Cazorla probably won’t play so you should probably change him too.
A ha. So mostly crap eh 😉 Cheers Matt.
Woah. Just seen i’ve posted something similar. Where did the Cazorla not playing comment come from Matt? Struggling to believe that’s true. Who would he lose out to?
Not crap just needs tweaking haha
as for those moves you asked Chins I would go with Carroll and Barkley but not Kante. He’s too defensive as well.
Chins I honestly can’t remember but I had him in a draft and someone said to me he probably won’t start. I want to say it was Mitro but I could be wrong.
Chins/Matt – struggling to replace Kante with a sure-fire starter for only 5.0. What about Kante & Ibra > Mhkit & Gomis/Deeney?
Yeah I was thinking that. Mkhitaryan is a good pick and Gomis could be good for the first 2 games but keep an eye on Tekkers going to Palace if that happens I would switch Gomis to Tekkers.
Hi Colriles,
I’d probably dump Dier. Not as attractive now he’s listed as a Mid. Plays to deep for my liking, although clearly a set piece threat.
I’d also keep an eye on which position Cazorla plays in pre season. I hope he gets the central role behind the striker but i wouldn’t put it past crazy Wenger to deploy him as one of the two deeper mid players in an Arteta-type role in order to play Remsey further forward. And if Mahrez ends up a gooner, then maybe you don’t want to double up there initially at least.
Not sure about Hernandez either.
Like the rest though!
Cheers Chins, same question marks as MattX pointed out so that’s assuring
Quickly done Cazorla/Dier/Hernandez > Carroll/Barkley/Kante. Improvement?
hmm Mkhitaryan + Kun OR KDB + Ibra (and 0.5m left) ?
Hey Wafflez. I haven’t made my mind up on that one yet that’s why I have drafts with both options.
Hard question but in that predicament I’d side with Kun. More money but a safer captain choice over the majority of the season.
Hi Wafflez.
I’d go with Mk and Kun, until Kun inevitably breaks. Then switch.
Thanks for the input, im gonna wait until the last minute to decide then
Kun