Step Into My Office: FPL Decision Time

We have twelve days until the next game week, and twelve game weeks left before the curtain falls on the 2018-19 season. The final third of the season presents a plethora of personnel choices for fantasy managers to consider — players in the title chase, a top four fight, and those in a relegation battle. It’s no time to take on the weight of players who are not likely to produce going forward.

Today we are going to examine a couple of players for whom a pink slip would be best suited, then name-drop a few who are not heavily owned but are prime candidates for investment.

For many that have been in relationships, it is prudent to know when is the right time to dissolve once solid bonds. This can help avoid pain and heartache in the long run, and protect us from heavy alcohol consumption (depending on how you deal with your problems). Chelsea talisman Eden Hazard recently had a spell of five league games where he produced no goals and one assist; we need to predict, detect and avoid such dry spells at all costs.

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Step Into my Office

The first player to be called into the office has an amazing record of eight goals and four assists in his last eight Premier League starts, a most enviable record. One would reckon someone with this record could only be called into the manager’s office to be commended. In this case, the opposite rings true, I think it may soon be time to let go of a friend to many managers: Heung-Min Son.

The factors contributing to this are numerous, the first being inevitable fatigue. Son has had to interrupt his season twice already for Asian tournaments, and it will catch up with him. Secondly, the pending return of Harry Kane and Dele Alli will mean that Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will have a harder time selecting his eleven and an easier time rotating them. He was great yesterday against the leaders in Germany, but advancement in the Champions League may also become an issue. You might call for me to be drug-tested, I assure you i’m making this call sober.

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Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Up next in the office is another hyphenated player, Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Crystal Palace man has amassed nine clean sheets to date, and at the modest price of £4.6 is proper value for your money. Here’s the thing: I just don’t see it continuing. We’re heading into the money part of the season, and AWB will be a good player to use in spot starts as a fifth defender, but he will no longer be a viable third or even fourth option. A quick glance at upcoming fixtures shows us motivated teams in the relegation fight and the top four battle. And, Palace has just one clean sheet in the last five. His best days, I reckon, are surely in the past.

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The Welcome Mat

Next we look at some low-ownership players who can be differentials and help take you up the table for the rest of the season.

Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Fresh ink on a new contract, Anthony Martial is a rare Manchester United player who did well under Jose Mourinho this season, even after losing his spot to Alexis Sanchez the previous season. Martial will be afforded more attacking opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and is only currently slotted in 5.6% of teams. Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford are heavily owned, but at £7.2 , Martial is a midfield bargain and can end the season on a strong run to provide managers a great differential.

Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Jamie Vardy is on the record as one who is not a big fan of the Claude Puel era, and his goal supply has seemingly dried up. However, looking at the bottom half of the table, is there any striker you would place your bet on to score more goals than Vardy in the final twelve weeks? Pay attention to Leicester; they have enough about them to climb some spots in the table, and Vardy is the man to get them there.

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Am I crazy to suggest letting Son go? Who are the players you plan to usher to the exit in the upcoming weeks? Who are the ones you are monitoring to give your team a boost?

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