Fantasy premier league – “ones to watch” midfielders over £6.0m – GW25

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)

• Goals and assists:  4 goals 8 assists.  Time per point scored:   14.6  mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 12th.  Consistency 10/15   67%  Last 5 return consistency:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  5

Very unlucky in the Chelsea match.  Didn’t really create as much as usual but had a few good scoring chances.  Some good fixtures coming up and easily has the best underlying shooting and creating chances stats of any midfielder

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Norwich (A)
Sunderland (H)
Stoke City (H)
– Gameweek 28 –
Aston Villa (H)
Hull City (A)

2.  Hazard (£10.6m)

• Goals and assists:  9 goals 8 assists.  Time per point scored:   14.3  mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 5th.  Consistency 11/24   46%  Last 5 return consistency:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  10

No returns in the last 3 but still playing well and the underlying shooting stats have held up which shows that nothing fundamentally seems to be going wrong.  Good fixtures though and should still continue to prosper.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)
Fulham (A)
Tottenham (H)
Aston Villa (A)

3.  YaYa Toure (£10.2m)

• Goals and assists:  12 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  13.8  mins .  Rotation risk: low   fixture ease ranking: 12th.  Consistency 14/23  61%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow:  2

I’m going to keep my evaluation of YYT in this to remind you of the basics.  However on this little run of fixtures now he could really prosper.  With Fernandinho out for 3-4 weeks the chances are that Demichelis will continue as the CDM.  He sits far more than Fernandinho and gives licence for YYT to get forward as he did in the Chelsea game.  Add to that the fact that Ageuro is injured meaning that YYT is now the designated penalty taker and you have 3 easy home games after Norwich away and this is the most compelling time ever to buy YYT.    Here’s the warning on the packet though.  He 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 highest scoring midfielder.  Even the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow have now started to buy him.  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 11 are free kicks.  Most teams wouldn’t score that from direct free kicks in a season.  2 of the 11 are pens.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)
Fulham (A)
Tottenham (H)
Aston Villa (A)

4.  Mirallas (£7.4m)

• Goals and assists:  6 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  18.1  mins .  Rotation risk: medium  fixture ease ranking: 6th.  Consistency 8/24  33%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

With Lukaku and Traore injured Mirallas has taken the striker position.  However Traore is fit this week and could start.  Mirallas has been very inconsistent and the return of Deulofeu could take him back to the 65 minute man.  Reasonable fixtures but inconsistency means not for the impatient.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Tottenham (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Chelsea (A)
West Ham (H)
Newcastle (A)
Cardiff City (H)

5.  Lallana (£7.8m)

• Goals and assists:  7 goals 6 assists.  Time per point scored:  15.5  mins .  Rotation risk: low   fixture ease ranking: 11th.  Consistency 11/24  46%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 6

2 double figure fantasy premier league point hauls in the last 2 games.  Now the 3rd top fantasy premier league point scoring midfielder.   A player who plays centrally and in an advanced position and is the attacking fulcrum of the Southampton side.  A perfect recipe for a fantasy premier league midfielder.  Excellent time per point scored return for the price as well.     Nothing much in the way of underlying stats but the returns keep coming.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Stoke City (H)
Hull City (A)
West Ham (A)
Liverpool (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Norwich (H)

6.  Oscar (£8.9m)

• Goals and assists:  6 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  14.5m  mins .  Rotation risk: medium   fixture ease ranking: 5th.  Consistency 7/22  32%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  1/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Gametime isn’t as secure as Hazard starting 6 of 8 since coming back from injury. Additionally, Willian could even play centrally to take some of his gametime away.  No returns in his last 4 but has been very unlucky as great shooting and creating chances stats.  Inconsistency means patience is a must.  However with good fixtures coming up his ability to get big hauls could be a gamble some fantasy premier league managers are willing to take.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)
Fulham (A)
Tottenham (H)
Aston Villa (A)

7.  Gerrard (£8.9m)

• Goals and assists:  6 goals 7 assists.  Time per point scored:  16.3  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 14th.  Consistency 12/20  60%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  3/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 1

Gerrard is about about 2 things.   Free kicks and  pens.  Having said that he’s very consistent.   If you strip out the first 5 games when he didn’t return he’s returned in over 12/15 games since then.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Swansea (H)
Southampton (A)
Sunderland (H)
Man Utd (A)

8.  Navas (£8.3m)

• Goals and assists:  4 goals 6 assists.  Time per point scored:  15.6  mins .  Rotation risk: medium  fixture ease ranking: 12th.  Consistency 7/22  32%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  1/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Nasri could be back for GW27 which means Navas could have to start sharing gametime.  Hasn’t really taken his chance with only 1 goal in the last 5 but is still creating chances aplenty.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)
Fulham (A)
Tottenham (H)
Aston Villa (A)

9.  Eriksen (£7.4m)

• Goals and assists:  3 goals 3 assists.  Time per point scored:  17.0  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 15th.  Consistency 6/15  40%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  4/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 1

3 goals and 3 assists in the 8 games since returning to the team when Sherwood became manager.  Seems to play behind the striker when a lone striker but does a good job of drifting inside when playing on the left of a 4-4-2.  Has a good share of set pieces and benefiting from gametime and a more attacking philosophy since Sherwood became a manager.  Difficult fixtures now though

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Everton (H)
Newcastle (A)
Norwich (A)
Cardiff City (H)
Chelsea (A)
Arsenal (H)

10.  Willian (£7.5m)

• Goals and assists:  2 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored:  21.3  mins .  Rotation risk: medium  fixture ease ranking: 5th.  Consistency 4/15  31%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 0

Game time wise he’s looking more and more secure.  Started 7 of the last 9.   However no returns in the last 3 and 1 goal and 2 assists in those 9.  However  looks to be adjusting every game and is creating alot of chances.  A reasonable punt in a good line of fixtures.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Everton (H)
Fulham (A)
Tottenham (H)
Aston Villa (A)

11.  Adam Johnson (£7.0m)

• Goals and assists:  7 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  15.3  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 20th.  Consistency 6/22  27%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  4/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 2

6 goals and 2 assists in the last 4 games is stats Suarez would be proud of.  Hard to imagine it was 1 goal and 2 assists in 18 games before that.  Looks dangerous everytime he gets the ball and has a good share of set pieces.  However after this week the fixtures get very very difficult.  There’s also the blank in GW28

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Hull City (H)
West Brom (H)
Man Utd (H)
Southampton (H)
Chelsea (H)
Aston Villa (H)

12.  Mata (£9.8m)

• Goals and assists:  0 goals 4 assists.  Time per point scored:  23.3  mins .  Rotation risk: low  fixture ease ranking: 19th.  Consistency 4/15  27%          Last 5 consistency return rate:  2/5   How many times in top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow: 6

I’ve rated Mata very low but thats due to his returns overall this season and tricky fixtures after Fulham including a blank.  However when you isolate just the Man Utd performances and the ability of the team to score it looks way to low.  2 assists in 2 games for United and he’s been snapped up by 6 out of the top 10 fantasy premier league managers I follow.  Looks to be playing in an advanced position even if it will rely on tucking in from the left.  Only Silva has created more chances than Mata this season and with Rooney (hopefully not in midfield) and RVP on the end of those chances then he should be a consistent scorer.  No game in GW28 though and as I said tricky fixtures after the Fulham game although this attacking trio should be able to score goals everywhere.

Next 6 fantasy premier league fixtures:

Fulham (H)
Arsenal (A)
Crystal Palace (A)
– Gameweek 28 –
West Brom (A)
Liverpool (H)
West Ham (A)

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