GOALKEEPER

Hart – £6.9m – quality  HOLD

As per each week, the best defence and only Kompany is secure at a similar price.

Begovic £5.8m  form HOLD

Fixtures are ok and better home than away but with the right rotation (Bunn works nicely) he’s still a good option.  Getting a very expensive (more than De Gea and Szczesny) so  I definitely wouldn’t  be buying and would only be holding if I had bought him very early on given the alternatives in defence especially Cameron at £4.9m.  Stoke have had a couple of wobbles at home but the defensive stats against Chelsea  were more about their finishing and Jon Walters then a defensive meltdown and dont warrant a mass self off

Bunn £4.1m Budget BUY

One of the better value defences and ok at home so should be rotated.  Ruddy is out until mid Feb and he’s cheap.  A good buy

Szczesny £5.3m fixtures DGW23 BUY 

Good fixtures good defence despite what you’re told.

Budget (chose those that rotate home and away as home games get more clean sheets if you’re going for 2 budget keepers) 

Federici – £4.3m

Bunn  – £4.1m

Boruc – £4.4m

DEFENCE

Sagna £5.1m fixtures DGW23 BUY

The Arsenal defence is underrated despite what pundits may say and Sagna also brings good attacking potential at a really reasonable price.  Reasonable fixtures  as well.    Gibbs at the slightly higher price of £5.6m is also a BUY  option.

Zabaleta £6.0m value  BUY

With Maicon and Richards injured and neither with a return date on Physio room, Zabaleta looks to have the RB position sewn up.  Definitely the best defence in the league and apart from the certainty of Kompany at £6.9m this is the best option.  Has experienced a strong upturn in attacking returns this year as well

Cameron £4.9m value BUY

The cheapest buy in a good defensive team especially at home.  Doesn’t give you the bonus or attacking potential of the other players but good value.  Reasonable fixtures fixtures now but good enough at home and cheap enough to warrant rotation.

Wilson £4.0m  value BUY(injured)

For anyone wanting to take a gamble in their wildcard team, this is a great way of getting exposure to the best defence outside the elite at a cut rate price. According to Pulis should be back in a couple of weeks a few days ago so should be back for GW23/24

Wisdom £4.3m value short term BUY

With Enrique injured  and a return date of 11 Feb on physio room this is a good short term buy even with the poor fixtures.  Only risk is Downing to LB with Sturridge joining but I cant see that myself especially as Sturridge doesn’t seem quite there as a starter.  Worth the gamble in your wildcard and should be a clean sheet prospect for Norwich at home.  Has been some news saying Enrique could be back earlier but this has quietened down this week

David Luiz £6.7m midfield BUY

The best buy among the defence with him playing in midfield and Mikel going to ACON.  Cahill or Azpili will be sacrificed if Terry comes back so Cole is the only other option at the moment

Rafael £6.0m fixtures attack BUY

Budget

Clyne £4.0m   

Shaw £4.0m (injury doubt)

Davies £4.2m budget  

Turner –  £4.1m

R Martin – £4.1m 

Demel – DGW£4.0m

O’Brien injury doubt £4.5m

 Mariappa – £3.8m

Fabio £4.2m

MIDFIELD

Mata £10.0m quality  BUY

Has just creeped in to 10th in the last 6 and the overall shooting stats but is one of the few players who also is in the creating chances overall table.  Returned in his last 6 starts and if you ignore the jaded first 3 games to the season has returned in every game he’s started apart from the City game.  RVP type consistency.  Fixtures are ranked 12 of all the teams in terms of fixture ease

Bale £9.8m Quality  BUY 

4th in the overall shooting stats and 8th in the last 6 game weeks even though only played 4 games.   The best all round midfielder in my mind and also with Mata the only one also in the season chances created top 10 overall table.  Fixtures are pretty ordinary though not that it seems to matter for him.

Walcott £9.1m fixtures striker DGW23 BUY

Playing up front as a midfielder, No other strike in the  picture and Arsenal have a double game week in GW23.  Top of the last 6 shooting stats.  Prior to last week Koscielny sending off disaster had returned in his last 4.  Good fixtures as well.  Natural DGW23 captain choice.  A must buy.

Michu £8.3m form striker value BUY

2nd in the overall shooting stats and 3rd in the last 6 on the back of tricky fixtures.  Playing as a striker a reasonable amount of the time or just off the striker and seems to be a clinical finisher.  Fixtures are quite good and apart from a couple of exceptions returns better with the easier teams

Fellaini £7.6m fixtures striker BUY

An assist and a 3 point bonus since his return from suspension but quiet on the stat front despite playing Newcastle and Swansea and in his favoured position supporting Jelavic.  He is top of the shooting stats for the season despite playing far less games than anyone but isn’t as lethal as Michuin 2nd.  With Everton having some of the best fixtures of everyone he’s worth purchasing and keeping the faith for those days when he’s unplayable but he definitely needs monitoring as the last 2 games stats are worrying.

Nolan £6.5m fixtures DGW23 BUY

Its now 1 return in 10 games but still 3rd  overall shooting stats although has slipped out of the last 6.  Last couple of games have been very disappointing but Carroll will be back soon and with the West ham double game week in GW23 he’s worth the gamble in my mind. Backed up by the fact that only Noble at a stretch is worth having for the DGW at a stretch

Sessegnon fixtures £7.1m BUY

I think there are better options at the moment but he is 57th in  the last 6 shooting stats despite them being generated from difficult fixtures and is adding creating chances to his game.  Another playing in that advanced midfield position.  Will give you a difference against your league opponents and Sunderland probably have the best fixtures of anyone.

Gerrard £9.4m form BUY

Has come from no where to be 2nd in the last 6 shooting stats albeit on the back of very good fixtures and is also 4th in the last 6 creating chances. has returned in all his last 6 games.  This is all despite being in the midfield 3 rather than the front 3. Has penalties in his locker as well as some set piece involvement.  Only issue is difficult fixtures and the cost when you compare him to Mata and Bale as other options.

 Cazorla short term DGW23  £9.6m BUY

Has returned 1 assist in the 4 games after his hat trick against Reading and has returned in only 9 of his 22 starts.  has also dropped out of the overall and last 6 shooting stats.  Integral to arsenals game though and has potential for big point hauls so if you’re looking for a short term potential DGW boost and arent afraid to gamble then he’s probably your best bet in the Arsenal team.

Puncheon value £5.0m BUY

A couple of quiet performances have seen him drop out of the last 6 shooting stats although still in the overall season stats.  Returned in 4 of his last 7.  Still the best cheap midfielder by my reckoning.  Southamptons fixtures aren’t great though.

Budget

Schneiderlin – £4.5m  Saints

 McCarthy – £4.8m

Maloney – £4.8m

Guthrie £4.1m

Noble DGW £5.0m

Kacaniklic £4.4m

Kebe £4.6m

FORWARDS

RVP – £14.1m – QUALITY  BUY

With Rooney still out RVP looks like he should be locked in to everyones team.  3rd inthe overall and last 6 shooting stats.   Fixtures aren’t as strong but are on the up but that doesnt seem to matter.  Has returned in 18/20 starts.

Ba – £8.9m  form  BUY

Some disturbing comments about being managed by Benitez yesterday which hint at rotation.  2nd in the overall shooting stats but has dropped to 7th in the last 6 on the back of terrible fixtures and Newcastles injuries.  Has quality to get through all that and benefit from the more creative midfield f he starts.  I would be holding but not buying at the moment as fixtures are only ok.

Suarez – £10.4m Quality HOLD

The first evidence of him playing with Sturridge was not good as he definitely dropped deeper.  Norwich at home this weekend and Sturridge isn’t fit to start so its not a sell but definitely a monitor.  I wouldn’t buy at the moment with the position issues and terrible fixtures but wouldn’t sell just yet.

Tevez value £8.9m HOLD

Played very well against Arsenal and returned 11 points and although Aguero is potentially back this week potentially has to have a reasonable chance of partnering him.  Is still in the overall shooting stats but game time means not in the last 6.  Fixtures arent great so i would probably hold rather than buy

Dzeko value £7.4m HOLD

Significantly cheaper than Tevez but more prone to rotation with Ballotelli than Tevez.  With Aguero  potentially back this week it will be interesting to see if Tevez or Dzeko starts so hold for this.  Is 6th in the last 6 shooting stats and returned in his last 3.

Jelavic fixtures £8.1m BUY

Fellaini would probably be my Everton coverage of choice as he’s also cheaper but Everton have the fixtures for fantasy premier league managers to prosper with.  In the overall shooting stats but hasn’t been producing lately with only 1 return in his last 6 games.  Has the quality and fixtures to come right.

Budget – for those wanting to squeeze in to the midfield

Jones – £5.0m

Pogrebnyak – £4.3m

Anichebe – £4.3m

Cole DGW23  – £4.9m

KEY

quality – an elite player for his position

value – a player at a value that is less than the returns I expect

fixtures – a player facing good fixtures over the next 6 games

budget – filler at the minimum price the position allows. Should play

sleeping giant – a player with past form who may have had a quiet season last year but has the potential for far greater returns than his value

YC – card magnet

DGW – has 2 games in the specified game week

pre-season – has pre-season form

pens – should take penalties

short term – will only play for a few games

Form – current form

hope that stimulates some thought for your fantasy premier league team.