Thank you for being a true fan of EPL and FPL. If you are reading this, you are in the distinct minority who are joining us on a Sunday with only one game on the schedule. And what a clash of titans this is, with Marco Silva’s Watford taking on West Ham and its newly-appointed manager, “Captain Failure” David Moyes!
Let us go then, you and I, to preview this game and see if there is anything to get excited about!
Sunday’s Lone Game
Despite my insistence that Marco Silva is very good at managing professional futbol players, Watford is on a three-game winless streak. Game week 11 was a horror show, the Hornets losing 3-2 to a very poor Everton side after leading 2-0. To make matters worse, they lost the game following a late missed penalty that was inexplicably taken by “Mr Fantasy Invisible” Tom Cleverley. Just, ugh!
West Ham comes to Vicarage Road with its own dumpster-full of smoldering problems. Not only have they made what seems to be a horrible new managerial appointment, but they have also covered the least amount of ground on the pitch of any EPL team. In other words, they’ve been lazy, and the new boss is as inspiring as a Department of Motor Vehicles clerk at 4:53 pm on a rainy Tuesday. Also, West Ham starts Arrgh, Joe Hart, Arrgh.
From a fantasy perspective, methinks there will be goals. I can see Watford conceding from set pieces, given they’ve been pretty awful at marking them. If Andy Carroll gets a start, I’m in! As a result of a heightened chance of set piece goals (pun intended!), I also like Manuel Lanzini and, if he starts, Aaron Cresswell.
Returning to Watford, my colleague Chris Manfredi did a masterful job of showing us a scary statistical split for The Hornets: mainly that they’ve been brutal at home. Based on his statistical analysis, I can’t recommend Richarlison at home in Official. But given that he’s up against the worst defense in the EPL, I expect he’ll pick up enough phantoms in Togga to be a solid starting option. Also (lest you forget), West Ham’s “goalkeeper” is Arrgh, Joe Hart, Arrgh.
Whom do you think will win this game? Do you think David Moyes will have a positive, negative, or neutral influence on West Ham players like Lanzini, Arnautovic, Antonio and Chicharito? Are you in on Richarlison, or do you think he’s due a mean regression? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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PS: Monday has a match!
Who knew? Does anyone care? (Yes, our editor Jeff owns Dunk in his own Fantrax Bench league, an Alehouse WAG if their ever was one!). The Monday match also means that the barn door stays open for another day. Whom should we be buying (or at least eyeing)?
Brighton v Stoke City
From Stall’s pre-dead chat article: “Brighton have been on a purple patch, and forward Murray in particular has caught the eye to the point that a few managers may be looking to pick him up in FPL as a cheap 3rd striker. In Fantrax he represents a great one-week value pick.“
Have Gross, Dunk, Murray, Shawcross, Shaq, Crouch or Chapou-Moting? Have any “bright” barn-door ideas? Let’s keep up the chat to improve our fantasy teams going forward!