Different circumstances mean different formats for my defensive articles. I’ll continue to look at it from a team basis as some managers maybe looking for value and some for attacking players so this way I can cover both. At the end of the article I’ll give you some cheap and bargain basement options for your team. I’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 9 tips – “ones to watch” best defenders/GKs
As you would have seen from the top 10 FPL amanagers I follow, the 3 man defence continues to be the most used. 10/10 of the top FPL managers I follow played a 3 man defence in GW8. 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 what I define as the top 4 challenging teams. 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
A very late goal prevented 3 clean consecutive sheets for Chelsea. Underlying stats wise they and Southampton are the best overall defensive team. They aren’t cheap though and the underlying stats haven’t completely turned into clean sheets. Thats the dilemma
18 (1st) clean sheets last season. 3 this season
GK option: Courtois at £6.0m is reasonable value comparitively.
Value defender: Azpilicueta is the cheapest at £6.0m. However he is suspended now for 3 games. Luis at £5.4 is good value but will probably only play for those 3 games.
Attacking option: Ivanovic at £7.3m with 2 goals and an assist in the first 8 games. With Baines the best attacking defender at the moment. Great scoring and assist potential
Next 6 fixtures:
Man Utd (A)
QPR (H)
Liverpool (A)
West Brom (H)
Sunderland (A)
Spurs (H)
Projected clean sheets in the next 6: 3
Chelsea players appear 5 times in the top 10 FPL managers I follow. (Terry 1 Ivanovic 2 Courtois 1 Azpili 1)
Southampton
The most clean sheets in 4 so far. Southampton have been a defensive sensation this year albeit on mostly good fixtures. A couple of tricky fixtures at the back end of the next 6
15 (3rd equal) clean sheets last season: 4 clean sheet this season
GK option: £5.1m Forster is similar value to others
Value option: CB Alderweireld at £5.0m
Attacking option: Bertrand £5.4m and Clyne £5.5m have similar stats although Bertrands are probably marginally better
Next 6 fixtures:
Stoke (H)
Hull (A)
Leicester (H)
Aston Villa (A)
Man City (H)
Arsenal (A)
Projected clean sheets: 2
9 Southampton GKs/Defs appear in the top 10 FPL managers teams (Clyne 5 De Gea 3, Alderweireld)
Arsenal
Still only 1 clean sheet after 8 games seems miles away from the 17 of last season. The Hull game symbolised everything that has been happening this year with Hull scoring twice from 3 chances at best. However the underlying stats are good and in Chambers they have a player of excellent value
17 (2nd) clean sheets last season. 1 this season
GK option: £5.4m Szczesny isn’t great value compared to Chambers.
Value defender: £4.6m Chambers is outstanding value.
Attacking defender: £6.1m CBs Koscielny and £6.0m Mertesacker both have attacking potential although it’s only 1 goal and 1 assist between them in 13 games.
Next 6 fixtures:
Sunderland (A)
Burnley (H)
Swansea (A)
Man Utd (H)
West Brom (A)
Southampton (H)
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)
Man City
It wasn’t a great defensive performance again either in Moscow or against Spurs. They do have the ability though to keep clean sheets as last season shown and if anything they’ve strenghthened the depth and quality of their defence. Thats the problem as finding anyone consistently selected in the premier league apart from Hart and Kompany isn’t easy.
16 (3rd) clean sheets last season. 2 this season
GK Option: £6.0m Hart isn’t bad value but he can be rotated as we saw for the Hull game.
value option: No one with any gametime security
Attacking option: Kompany with 4 goals last season but no one else evenly remotely gametime secure to stand for comparison.
Next 6 fixtures:
West Ham (A)
Man Utd (H)
QPR (A)
Swansea (H)
Southampton (A)
Sunderland (A)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6: 2
1 of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Man City GKs/Defs in their team (Kompany 1)
Everton
15 FPL points from Baines and 13 from Coleman really show what Everton’s about. 2 great attacking defenders in Coleman and Baines (Baines has pens and direct free kicks) but only QPR have conceded more goals than Everton. However now they have good fixtures and if you’re lucky enough to have the funds now could be the time to buy.
15 (4th equal) clean sheets last season: 2 this season
GK option: £5.4m Howard is the same price as Jagielka who is gametime secure
Value Def: £5.5m Jagielka. Interestingly has scored 2 goals this season. Thats as much as he’s scored all season since 2006/7
Attacking Def: Both Coleman (£6.9m) and Baines (£7.1m) are good attacking options. Baines has pens and direct and indirect free kicks plus a share of corners and has returned a goal and 5 assists in his last 6 games. Short term clean sheet prospects or not the fixtures look good from an attacking point of view.
Burnley (A)
Swansea (H)
Sunderland (A)
West Ham (H)
Spurs (A)
Hull (H)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6 fixtures: 2
3 of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Everton GKs/Defs in their team (Baines 3)
Tottenham
Didn’t really do their defensive credentials much good against Man City and despite a good clean sheet return they generally haven’t been convincing defensively. Good fixtures and some good value players though
14 (6th equal) clean sheets last season. 3 this season
GK option: £5.6m Lloris looks secure but not great value compartively
Value option; £5.0m Rose and £5.0m Kaboul
Attacking option: £5.4m Dier has 2 goals and also the best goal related attacking stats. Kaboul also has good attacking stats.
Newcastle (H)
Aston Villa (A)
Stoke (H)
Hull (A)
Everton (H)
Chelsea (A)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6 games: 1
0 of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Spurs GKs/Defs in their team
Stoke
2 clean sheets and only 3 teams have conceded less goals overall this season. Unlike previous years they’ve looked strong at and away from home. Good value in Marc Wilson at £4.5m. Fixtures are a little mixed though.
9 (15th equal) clean sheets last season. this season
GK option; Begovic at £5.0m isn’t great value compared to Wilson at a similar price
Value option: Wilson at £4.5mm is good value. Seems to have a secure place
Attacking option; Probably Shawcross at £5.7m or Bardsley £5.0m but neither have looked prolific
Next 6 fixtures:
Southampton (A)
West Ham (H)
Spurs (A)
Burnley (H)
Liverpool (A)
Man Utd (A)
Predicted clean sheets in the next 6 fixtures: 1
2 of the 10 top FPL managers I follow have Liverpool GKs/Defs in their team (Begovic 1, Wilson 1, )
Some other cheap and bargain basement options
Wisdom WBA £4.1m – Got his place back after being ineligible against Liverpool. 3 clean sheets for WBA and they look good home and away.
Dummett Newcastle £4.0m – Not the most solid defence with only 2 clean sheets and only 2 teams conceded more goals. Dummett seems to have a solid place and Newcastle have reasonable fixtures coming up
Moore Leicester £4.0m – A cheap filler really as Leicester have looked less and less solid.
Duff Burnley £4.2m – As for Moore
Hutton Villa £4.2m – Again more of a filler but have been some good performances and 3 clean sheets so far
GK Foster WBA £4.5m – Has an injury doubt but reasonable value home and away as a GK
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fantasy premier league gameweek 9 tips
fantasy premier league gameweek 9 tips
