Here’s my gameweek 12 “ones to watch” article ranking the best defenders. It also gives a table of stats for you to make your own decision. There’s also some narrative on each player and the next 10 fixtures to take a longer view than recently given.
fantasy premier league gameweek 12 tips – “ones to watch” best defenders/GKs
I’ve put together a table of stats with a key below it to rank the 10 best defenders. I’ve tried to take a balance between the value and the attacking players and given a price range of players in the table. Below that I’ve put some narrative on each player plus their next 10 fixtures to give you a longer view. I’ll also try and talk about the GK option and other players whether value or attacking defenders where relevant
| Rank | Name | value | Team ownership | Mins per FPL point | Goals/Assts | CS – H/A | Pred CS | top 10 FPL managers own |
| 1. | Kompany | £6.5m | 36% | 30.0 mins | 0/0 | 1/2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2. | Baines | £7.3m | 66% | 14.3 mins | 2/6 | 2/1 | 3 | 6 |
| 3. | Ivanovic | £7.2m | 67% | 20.6 mins | 2/1 | 3/0 | 3 | 2 |
| 4. | Chambers | £4.9m | 44% | 19.4 mins | 1/1 | 1/2 | 3 | 7 |
| 5. | Dummett | £4.1m | 47% | 23.2 mins | 0/0 | 2/2 | 3 | 2 |
| 6. | N Taylor | £4.7m | 23% | 24.4 mins | 0/1 | 3/2 | 3 | 4 |
| 7. | Yun | £3.9m | 16% | 40.0mins | 0/0 | 2/0 | 3 | 1 |
| 8. | Bertrand | £5.6m | 77% | 16.2 mins | 1/1 | 5/2 | 2 | 3 |
| 9. | Vlaar | £4.5m | 54% | 25.2 mins | 0/0 | 1/3 | 2 | 0 |
| 10. | Reid | £5.0m | 6% | 28.8 mins | 1/0 | 2/0 | 2 | 0 |
Key:
Team ownership: The total defence and GK ownership to give you an idea of how many FPL teams have a GK or Def from that team
Mins per FPL point: How long it takes a player to earn an FPL point. The lower the better obviously
Goals/Assist; Goals/Assists so far in the season
CS – H/A: The clean sheets so far this season. Home/Away
Pred CS: Predicted clean sheets in the next 10 games
Top 10 FPL managers own: How many of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have the player in the team
Kompany
A controversial choice I realise given the lack of clean sheets and Kompany’s lack of attacking returns. He hasn’t even done particularly well on the bonus front. However Man City have some fixtures and especially good home games and the underlying stats suggest that they should be improving their home clean sheets return. The tricky bit is whether Kompany is injured for GW12 or not. Alot of faith is needed to justify his selection particularly when the good home games are at the back of the fixture list. However 16 clean sheets last year with an arguably better defensive squad this year still gives a reason for faith. No one else has consistent selection. Clichy is a short term value pick with Kolarov out until GW15. GK Hart at £6.0m seems a little expensive for me
Next 10 fixtures:
Swansea (H)
Southampton (A)
Sunderland (A)
Everton (H)
Leicester (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
West Brom (A)
Burnley (H)
Sunderland (H)
Everton (A)
Baines
With Ivanovic the premier attacking defensive player. Unlike Ivanovic though the returns have kept coming. Has pens and direct free kicks plus a share of other set pieces. The main question is whether his price is worth it given Evertons questionable clean sheet ability. An injury doubt for GW12. No real budget option in the Everton team. Howard seems quite expensive as a GK at £5.3m for their current clean sheet potential
West Ham (H)
Spurs (A)
Hull (H)
Man City (A)
QPR (H)
Southampton (A)
Stoke (H)
Newcastle (A)
Hull (A)
Man City (H)
Ivanovic
The only player who appears in the top grouping of chance creators and goal scoring underlying stats. Unfortunately this excellent attacking intent hasn’t seen any returns since GW3 and that combined with the high price and lack of clean sheets has put alot of doubt over wether he’s worth it. However Chelsea have some good underlying stats and have been unlucky in my view recently not to get clean sheets. Things will turn around. Azpilicueta is the cheaper at £6.0m with little attacking potential though. Courtois is the GK at the same price.
West Brom (H)
Sunderland (A)
Spurs (H)
Newcastle (A)
Hull (H)
Stoke (A)
West Ham (H)
Southampton (A)
Spurs (A)
Newcastle (H)
Chambers
A great value player for one of the best defensive teams in the league despite what you might hear from various pundits. Only Chelsea had more clean sheets than Arsenal last year and despite a rather ordinary start the underlying stats suggest that things can improve. Fixtures aren’t great though.
Man Utd (H)
West Brom (A)
Southampton (H)
Stoke (A)
Newcastle (H)
Liverpool (A)
QPR (H)
West Ham (A)
Southampton (A)
Stoke (H)
Dummett
From a defensive disasater away to Southampton when they conceded 4 goals to a team that have only conceded 1 goal in the last 4 games. It really has been a remarkable recovery. Dummett has little attacking potential but Newcastle have good attacking stats to back up their clean sheet record. GK Krul is reasonable value at £4.5m
QPR (H)
West Ham (A)
Burnley (A)
Chelsea (H)
Arsenal (A)
Sunderland (H)
Man Utd (A)
Everton (H)
Burnley (H)
Chelsea (A)
N Taylor
Swansea have defied the underlying stats to record 5 clean sheets which is only bettered by Southampton. It’s easy to think they’ve over performed but they do seem to have the ability to grind out clean sheets. Reasonably good fixtures over the next 10. Taylor is the budget version. There’s no real attacking option. GK Fabianski seems expensive in comparison at £5.1m
Man City (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
QPR (H)
West Ham (A)
Spurs (H)
Hull (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Liverpool (A)
QPR (A)
West Ham (H)
Yun
Great value and some really good home fixtures are the reason why Yuns in the frame here. Caulker is the attacking option. GK Green is one of the few good £4.5m options.
Newcastle (A)
Leicester (H)
Swansea (A)
Burnley (H)
Everton (A)
West Brom (H)
Arsenal (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Swansea (H)
Burnley (A)
Bertrand
After Aston Villa next the fixtures go horribly wrong. Southampton easily have the best defensive stats whether actual or underlying but their schedule is horrible and it will take a massive leap of faith to stay with them. Alderweireld at £5.0m is the budget option with little attacking potential. GK Forster at £5.3m is reasonable value in comparison.
Aston Villa (A)
Man City (H)
Arsenal (A)
Man Utd (H)
Burnley (A)
Everton (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Chelsea (H)
Arsenal (H)
Man Utd (A)
Vlaar
Another selection about fixtures and a hope that the ability to get clean sheets hasn’t totally been lost. No real budget or attacking option. GK Guzan is another good £4.5m option. An injury doubt for GW12
Southampton (H)
Burnley (A)
Crystal Palace (A)
Leicester (H)
West Brom (A)
Man Utd (H)
Swansea (A)
Sunderland (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
Leicester (A)
Reid
The West Ham players in the main are a similar price. Cresswell is more expensive though at £5.4m but possibly has the best attacking potential if you discount Tomkins for gametime security. Reid though can also be a goal scoring threat. GK Adrian is a reasonable price at £5.0m. Some good fixtures in the short term.
Everton (A)
Newcastle (H)
West Brom (A)
Swansea (H)
Sunderland (A)
Leicester (H)
Chelsea (A)
Arsenal (H)
West Brom (H)
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fantasy premier league gameweek 12 tips
fantasy premier league gameweek 12 tips
