Fantasy premier league – “ones to watch” midfielders over £6.0m – GW21

I’ve provided the following stats to support the player choices and to guide you in your decisions.

1.  Goals and assists this year.

2.  Time per point scored this year.  This is how many minutes it takes for a Barclays fantasy premier league point to be scored over the course of this season. The lower the better obviously.

3.  Rotation risk.  High, medium or low.  High is the greatest risk of rotation.

4.  Fixture ease ranking:  The link is at the bottom of the article but essentially I’ve ranked all the teams by the ease of the first 6 fixtures.  The team with the best ranking ie 1 will have the easiest next fixtures of any of the fantasy premier league teams over the next 6 games.

5.  Consistency:  The % of times that the player got a goal or assist  as a % of games played

6.  I’ve also ranked them in their categories as who I think is currently the best choice

7.  Last 5 return consistency rate:   Its now time to take into account recent form so I look at the amount of times a player has returned in the last 5 games played

8.  I’ve also add a couple of  punts from time to time.  These are people not showing great form or consistency  who you may want to roll the dice with

9.  Ive also added how many players are in the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow

Midfielders

1.  Silva (£9.3m) (injury doubt)

• Goals and assists:  4 goals 6 assists.  Time per point scored:   13.6  mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 1st.  Consistency 8/12   67%  Last 5 return consistency:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  5

Has what’s described as a “small problem” which is why he didn’t play in the FA Cup replay against Blackburn.  Shouldn’t be any issue with him playing in GW22 especially given the other creative player in Nasri is out for possibly 8 weeks.  Very consistent with a good sahre of set pieces.  The best overall underlying shooting and creating chances stats as well

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Cardiff City (H)
Tottenham (A)
Chelsea (H)
Norwich (A)
Sunderland (H)
Stoke City (H)

2.  Hazard (£10.5m)

• Goals and assists:  9 goals 8 assists.  Time per point scored:   13.1  mins .  Rotation risk: medium.   fixture ease ranking: 11th.  Consistency 11/21   53%  Last 5 return consistency:  4/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  10

In a world where Mourinho has a numbert of options Hazard offers complete gametime security and has only not started 1 fantasy premier league game all season.  Improving his consistency all the time.  As you can see a must have as far as the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow.  A few tricky fixtures to come but in such great form can score against anyone

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Man Utd (H)
West Ham (H)
Man City (A)
Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)

3.  YaYa Toure (£10.1m|) (injury doubt)

• Goals and assists:  10 goals 3 assists.  Time per point scored:  14.3  mins .  Rotation risk: low   fixture ease ranking: 1st.  Consistency 12/20  60%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  5

I’m going to repeat what I said last week here.  Has never scored more than 6 goals in a season, plays in a deep position often protecting a vulnerable back 4 away from home and has no underlying shooting or creating chances stats whatsover.  Breaking all fantasy premier league precedents he’s now the 2nd highest scoring midfielder.  Even the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow have now started to buy him equally with  Silva.  Like Ramsey (who at least has some shooting stats and started playing further and further up the field) the amazing returns defy logic and precedent.  However they are fact and can’t be ignored.  Much as I’ve tried to.  For those who don’t own him and hoping he burns out.  4 of the 10 are free kicks.  Most teams wouldn’t score that from direct free kicks in a season.  2 of the 10 are pens.  Aguero will now take these.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (A)
Cardiff City (H)
Tottenham (A)
Chelsea (H)
Norwich (A)
Sunderland (H)

4.  Ozil (£10.1m)

• Goals and assists:  4 goals 8 assists.  Time per point scored:  14.4  mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 3rd.  Consistency 8/16    50%        Last 5 return consistency:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  8

Just gone off the boil a little and its now 3 games without returning.  Home to Fulham is a good chance to rectify that.  He’s returned in 4/6 home games.  Very liked by the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow as well.  Underlying stats are concentrated on creating chances where only Silva is better.  Not shooting at all in the box in recent games though.  Lets not forget 1 basic though.  The guy is world class and with Negredo probably the only successful transfer into fantasy premier league this season.  Some good fixtures to come

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Fulham (H)
Southampton (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Liverpool (A)
Man Utd (H)
Sunderland (H)

5.  Navas (£8.3m)

• Goals and assists:  3 goals 6 assists.  Time per point scored:  14.4  mins .  Rotation risk: medium  fixture ease ranking: 1st.  Consistency 6/19  32%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

With Nasri out for 8 weeks Navas looks a pretty nailed on selection.  Good at creating chances and couldn’t have a much better set of strikers to finish it off.   The Time per minute stats are a excellent if a bit distorted by the sub appearances.  However that effects the consistency rating.  He’s started 10 games and returned in 4 with 2 goals and 4 assists which isn’t too shabby.  Personally I think for the extra cash I would go for Silva but does offer an alternative at a slightly cheaper price

6.  Gerrard (£8.8m)

• Goals and assists:  4 goals 7 assists.  Time per point scored:  16.1  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 13th.  Consistency 10/17  59%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  4/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Gerrard is playing fairly deep in the Liverpool system but his returns are not about getting into the box and shooting.  Theyre about free kicks pens and creating chances for others.  Incredibly consistent.   If you strip out the first 5 games when he didn’t return he’s returned in over 10/12 games since then.   Returned with a pen after injury.  Aston Villa at home is an excellent time to buy.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Aston Villa (H)
Everton (H)
West Brom (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Swansea (H)

7.  Oscar (£8.9m)

• Goals and assists:  6 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  13.9  mins .  Rotation risk: medium   fixture ease ranking: 11th.  Consistency 7/19  37%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

A frustrating player.  Seems to be the favourite with Hazard of Mourinho but has been a sub in 6/19 games.  Despite being the number 10 and regularly getting forward doesn’t get in nearly as many shots in the box as you’d like.  Is capable of big hauls which is why the time per point scored is so good.  Patience is a must though.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Man Utd (H)
West Ham (H)
Man City (A)
Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)

8.  Lallana (£7.5m)

• Goals and assists:  5 goals 6 assists.  Time per point scored:  16.4  mins .  Rotation risk: low   fixture ease ranking: 19th.  Consistency 9/21  43%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  4/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 4

Another streaky scorer who seems to go through feast or famine spells.  He’s currently in a good spell have returned in 4 of his last 5 games.  Eye catching player with great skill who is the midfield creative force of Saints.  Doesn’t have any set piece responsibility though which is a shame.  A popular choice though with the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow.  4 have him typically using him as the 4th midfielder in a 3-4-3.  Only for the patient  though given his  lack of consistency.  No underlying shooting or creating chances stats to give you comfort.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Sunderland (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Stoke City (H)
Hull City (A)
West Ham (A)

9.  Cabaye (£7.1m)

• Goals and assists:  5 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  17.5  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 16th.  Consistency 9/18  50%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 1

A mini Gerrard if you like.  Playing further forward behind Remy when Newcastle play a lone striker and as a CM when 4-4-2.  Its not about positioning really though its about set pieces and pens.  Good value and consistency (although hasn’t returned in his last 3) but no underlying shooting and creating chances stats.  Him and Lallana are the only players that are in the top 10 fantasy premier league managers that aren’t in top 4 challenging teams.  A couple of tricky fixtures but otherwise not too bad.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

West Ham (A)
Norwich (A)
Sunderland (H)
Chelsea (A)
Tottenham (H)
Aston Villa (H)

10.  Eriksen (£7.3m)

• Goals and assists:  3 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  16.2  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 20th.  Consistency 4/12  33%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 2

Cant really look at the above stats as a whole.  Has had a new lease of life in 5 games since Sherwood took over.  Returned in 3 games of those 5 and scored goals and 1 assist.  Getting forward and has set pieces.  Quality player with a history of goals and assists.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Swansea (A)
Man City (H)
Hull City (A)
Everton (H)
Newcastle (A)
Norwich (A)

11.  Willian (£7.5m)

• Goals and assists:  2 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  18.3  mins .  Rotation risk: medium  fixture ease ranking: 11th.  Consistency 4/12  33%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Looks like he’s the chosen one to start next to Hazard and Oscar.  Started 5 of the last 6 fantasy premier league fixtures and has returned in his last 2 games and a goal and 2 assists in those 6 games.  More of a creator than a shooter but playing well recently.   Great value

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Man Utd (H)
West Ham (H)
Man City (A)
Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)

12.  Coutinho (£8.6m)

• Goals and assists:  2 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  24.0  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 13th.  Consistency 4/16  25%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

How can an advanced midfielder not return in a game when his team scores 5 goals?  I know he got subbed at 65 minutes but come one.  Had loads of chances just could not score. Has great underlying shooting stats and creating chances stats but doesn’t look like he could hit a barn door at the moment.  Things have to improve though.  The risk is that he drops out with Sturridge back and Sterling occupies a front 3.  Only for the brave at the moment.  If you’re unlucky enough to own him home to Villa next is not the time to sell

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Aston Villa (H)
Everton (H)
West Brom (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Swansea (H)

Here’s my article analysing 10 top fantasy premier league managers:  You’ll find it very interesting to see what they’re doing with their midfielders

http://www.fantasyfootballgeek.co.uk/fantasy-premier-league-analysing-10-gw21/

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