Here’s my fantasy premier league “ones to watch” for the top 4 challenging teams GKs and defenders for GW6. This article will continue from a team basis and give you the value and the attacking options as well as a view on the viabilty of the GK within that team. We’ll also give you the next 6 fixtures and project the number of clean sheets in those fixtures. Lastly we’ll tell you how many of the top FPL managers I follow have the teams defensive assets in their FPL team.
fantasy premier league gameweek 6 tips – “ones to watch” best elite defenders/GKs
The 3 man defence continues to be the most used. 9/10 of the top FPL managers I follow played a 3 man defence in GW5. Then the choice comes as to whether you play 1 or 2 elite defenders and then rotate the cheap defenders next. 8/10 of the top 10 FPL managers play 1 or more of the defenders from this team. However as you will see now is the time when the elite defenders are possibly at an all time low in terms of performance.
Top 4 Challenging teams
The top 4 challenging teams for this article are Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Spurs and Man Utd.
Chelsea
It’s hard to believe that this is the same defensive team as last season. It’s hard to believe that they’ve conceded the same amount of goals as WBA and have less clean sheets than them. However home to Villa is not the time to sell and surely if there is no clean sheet here it will be the end for virtually all fantasy managers. The underlying stats do offer hope though. The fixtures after the Villa game will make clean sheets difficult. The defensive performance against Man City was impressive but they only looked to defend and counter. They wont be able to follow that policy going forward.
18 (1st) clean sheets last season. 1 this season
GK option: Courtois at £6.0m is reasonable value comparitively. Everything depends on how you value Chelsea’s clean sheet potential.
Value defender: None. Azpilicueta at £6.0m. Is rotatable though with Luis.
Attacking option: Ivanovic at £7.2m. Has been an attacking revelation. The best shooting stats of any defensive player.
Next 6 fixtures:
Aston Villa (H)
Arsenal (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Man Utd (A)
QPR (H)
Liverpool (A)
Projected clean sheets in the next 6: 2
Chelsea players appear 4 times in the top 10 FPL managers I follow. Terry 2 Ivanovic 2
Man Utd
After Blind and Rojo came into the team I expected better than the defensive disaster that was Leicester. Shaw is expected to play against West Ham which should see Rojo strengthen the central defence. West Ham at home next despite their attacking rejuvenation are a good time to hold. There’s also the fact that in shots conceded in the box and big chances conceded they possibly have the best stats of any team
13 (8th) clean sheets last season: 2 clean sheet this season
GK option: £5.5m De Gea is good value and is solid enough to gamble on a non playing reserve
Value option: No one really of value is safe. Rojo is probably the safest selection at £6.0m but Rafael could be worth a selection gamble at £5.3m although he was terrible against Leicester
Attacking option: Rojo scored 6 goals in 28 matches last season for Sporting Lisbon although he did manage 11 yellow cards and 3 reds in those games.
Next 6 fixtures:
West Ham (H)
Everton (H)
West Brom (A)
Chelsea (H)
Man City (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Projected clean sheets: 2
6 Man Utd GKs/Defs appear in the top 10 FPL managers teams (Evans 1 De Gea 4)
Man City
Only 1 clean sheet and absolutely no certainty over who will start in a number of positions isn’t exactly the recipe for Man City defenders. Thats even before you get to the expensive price. 2 reasonable fixtures next though even if they are away
16 (3rd) clean sheets last season. 1 this season
GK Option: £6.0m Hart after a poor showing against Stoke has to be on the guard for his place but still looks more secure than anyone apart from Kompany at a slightly cheaper price.
value option: No one until selection policy is clear. Unsure if it will ever be
Attacking option: Kompany with 4 goals last season but no one else evenly remotely gametime secure to stand for comparison
Next 6 fixtures:
Hull (A)
Aston Villa (A)
Spurs (H)
West Ham (A)
Man Utd (H)
QPR (A)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6: 2
None of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Man City GKs/Defs in their team
Arsenal
Finally their first clean sheet. Unfortunately the next 2 fixtures aren’t really what you want for kicking on. The underlying stats are reasonable if not outstanding. They also have the outstanding value of Callum Chambers at £4.5m
17 (2nd) clean sheets last season. 1 this season
GK option: £5.5m Szczesny isn’t great value compared to Chambers.
Value defender: £4.5m Chambers is outstanding value.
Attacking defender: £6.1m CBs Koscielny and £6.0m Mertesacker both have attacking potential. Koscielny has the better underlying stats
Next 6 fixtures:
Spurs (H)
Chelsea (A)
Hull (H)
Sunderland (A)
Burnley (H)
Swansea (A)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6: 2 clean sheets
3 of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Arsenal GKs/Defs in their team (Chambers 3)
Tottenham
2 consecutive clean sheets in their opening games made it seem like Pochettino was about to replicate his Southampton defensive magic. However no further clean sheets and 6 goals conceded in 3 games has changed the perspective. With Arsenal and Man City away in the next 3 now is not the time to buy.
14 (6th equal) clean sheets last season. 2 this season
GK option: £5.6m Lloris looks secure but £5.0m Rose looks better value.
Value option; £5.0m Rose
Attacking option: £5.4m Dier has 2 goals and also the best goal related attacking stats.
Arsenal (A)
Southampton (H)
Man City (A)
Newcastle (H)
Aston Villa (A)
Stoke (H)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6 games: 2
0 of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Spurs GKs/Defs in their team
Liverpool
Only Palace, Newcastle, QPR and Everton have conceded more. The Liverpool defence couldn’t have been much worse against West Ham and even the relatively cheap Manquillo doesn’t look good value. After Everton at home there’s 4 reasonable fixtures though if you’re keeping the faith. The underlying defensive stats don’t offer any improvement hope.
10 (12th equal) clean sheets last season. 1 this season
GK option; Mignolet at £5.5m isn’t great value compared to Lovren at the same price and with Manquillo at £5.0m
Value option: Manquillo at £5.0m while Johnson is injured although he is expected back soon and Manquillo was hauled off against West Ham after a poor start to the game.
Attacking option; Skrtel at £5.9m with 7 goals last season
Next 6 fixtures:
Everton (H)
West Brom (H)
QPR (A)
Hull (H)
Newcastle (A)
Chelsea (H)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6 fixtures: 2
5 of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Liverpool GKs/Defs in their team (Moreno 3, Manquillo 1, Lovren 1)
Everton
If you think that the Chelsea defensive demise is incredible then look at the Everton demise, it is far worse. 1 clean sheet and they’ve conceded more goals than any other team. 3 goals conceded at home to Palace was a new low. Whats more none of the defence after last years success are cheap. Unfortunately the underlying stats offer no hope of improvement. The next 2 fixtures couldn’t be worse and offer a great exit point
15 (4th equal) clean sheets last season: 1 this season
GK option: £5.4m Howard is the same price as Jagielka who is gametime secure
Value Def: £5.4m Jagielka but for that price Everton need to improve the defence rapidly
Attacking Def: Both Coleman (£7.0m) and Baines (£6.9m) are good attacking options. Baines has pens and direct and indirect free kicks plus a share of corners. For that price though you want some clean sheet prospects.
Liverpool (A)
Man Utd (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Burnley (A)
Swansea (H)
Sunderland (A)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6 fixtures: 1
None of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Everton GKs/Defs in their team
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fantasy premier league gameweek 6 tips
fantasy premier league gameweek 6 tips
