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GW-34 produced something I thought I would never see, and I’m not talking about Man United fans getting more minutes on the field than Van de Beek. I am talking about the carnage wrought by so-called fans that caused the cancellation of one of the biggest games of the Premiership calendar, not to mention wrecking literally hundreds of thousands of fantasy managers teams (editor Jeff has suggested prosecuting the hooligans for “fanticide” — Is that a word?).
I know Graeme Sourness would somehow blame Pogba, but unfortunately this time he is innocent. The protest’s fingers firmly point toward the Glazers and the debt overload that they have placed on one of the world’s greatest clubs. Sadly, I do see other clubs’ fans looking over at the United fans and feeling that what they did was wrong, but the message was loud and (until cameras and other fixtures were smashed) clear for the world to see. I worry that other clubs’ fans could do something similar.
I was not the only one having a few assets from both United and Liverpool, Bruno and Salah being in my never-drop pile and some others being stock fillers (Shaw, Greenwood, and man of the moment Jota). Th postponement affected my total game week points, but I still managed to get a cool 60 somehow.
I know of others who were not so lucky. I won’t mention names, but many of you know who you are by now and can commiserate together.
GW-35 sees some double games featuring
- Leicester
- Crystal Palace
- Aston Villa
- Chelsea
- Everton
- Man United (if the fans don’t riot again)
- Southampton
- Arsenal
Keepers:
Vicente Guaita (4.8m, CRY vs SHU & SOU)
There are not many stand-out fixtures for keepers, but these two are tempting as Hodgson the ever so pragmatic manager will look to play low blocks so to steal a goal on the counter. As an FPL manager, I want as much protection as humanly possible for my asset, and the Hodgson I know will comply as he has done throughout his career.
Emiliano Martínez (5.4m, AV vs MUN & EVE)
I know you think I am crazy, but there’s a method to my madness. Not only does the Villa shot-stopper have the most FPL points to date, but he has the most bonus points for keepers this season. The maths here for me is game difficulty equals save points on the bonus points system.
Defenders:
Lucas Digne (6.1m, EVE vs WHU & AV)
The defender who hardly defends is known more for his attacking prowess. This is music to our FPL managing ears as we love slotting a midfielder into a defender spot. The price reflects his potential, and by getting him in you can reap future rewards as the fixture list only gets easier (except Man City on the last day of the season).
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Timothy Castagne (5.8m, LEI vs NEW & MUN)
On paper, having a Leicester defender can be dangerous due to fixtures and blank GW-36, but fortune favors the brave. I added Castagne for his attacking returns as Rodgers is going to do what Rodgers does best: go all out for the win. That can be an issue for clean sheet points, but it offers high returns at the other end of the pitch.
Stuart Dallas (5.3m, LEE vs TOT)
Dallas at 5.3m is the highest point-scoring defender in FPL, so his rise to cult hero status is no fluke; Dallas is owned by 27.9% of managers. Leeds has only one game, but I believe Bielsa’s men will go toe to toe with Tottenham, and Dallas will be the key from midfield as he can point up from anywhere and score a goal. Dallas is not one-week buy but more of a long-term asset who has done wonders for many FPL managers and can for you too.
Midfielders:
James Ward-Prowse (5.8m, SOU vs LIV & CRY)
What David Beckham was to Man United, JWP is that and more for the Saints. Not only is he dangerous on set pieces, he’s the seventh-highest point-scoring midfielder. With a DGW against Liverpool and Crystal Palace, I don’t see the Englishman slowing down. At a cost of just £5.8m, JWP can is excellent value and has great fixtures for the next two game-weeks.
PS: He’s on PK duty with Danny Ings is out for the season.
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Gareth Bale (9.1m, TOT vs LEE)
Tottenham has only one game this week, but that does not mean you rule out the Welshman whose potential to score goals from anywhere is sky-high. He took a match ball home with him after his silky hattrick displayed why he’s worth his weight in gold (and 21 FPL points). It seems the assistant manager looks to play a more attacking lineup, pardoning the formerly exiled Delli Alli. With Leeds playing fearlessly, they could be open to a Bale counter-attack.
Strikers:
DCL (7.5m, EVE vs WHU & AV)
Except on final Sunday, Everton has all winnable fixtures, which could propel DCL’s value to the moon. That last week will be against presumptive champions Man City, a difficult fixture, but by then the Citizens may be too hung over to play.
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Kelechi Iheanacho (6.3m, LEI vs NEW & MUN)
The man of the moment is no longer in the shadow of Red Bull pin-up boy Jamie Vardy. He has started to engrave his name into Leicester folklore with his performances in the league and cups. He is a one-week asset as the Foxes blank in GW-36 have a difficult run-in.
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A double game week does not automatically mean you will double your points people! Pick wisely and think long term but if you have an itchy finger do let us know who you are bringing in, in our comments section.
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