fantasy premier league GW23 best defenders and defences

Here’s my view for the fantasy premier league GW23 best defenders and defences. I’ve used a number of stats, actual and underlying. I’ve kept with the blended home and away version rather than splitting them out. There’s also the premium attacking defender and the value defender.  I’ve also given you the value of the player as at Tuesday 19th January. 

fantasy premier league GW23 best defenders and defences

I’ve provided the information in a very simple table form with a few general notes on the table and an attempted explanation for any surprises. I’ve tried to sacrifice some value and attacking where there isn’t a decent amount of gametime security. Obviously in the top 4 challenging teams the squad sizes and the number of games sees that rotation can be a risk so it’s impossible to be 100% .  I’ve also added my fixture ease ranking as a proxy for defensive fixtures although it is intended as an attacking fixture check. The first number is the ranking ease of the next 6 fixtures and the 2nd number is the next 3. It’s also important read the notes on each club below as they include the clean sheets in the last 6 games. The stats are over the season.  In the narrative I’ve tried to deal with recent form and injury issues which will help you make an assessment on your view of the best transfer.

Man Utd – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.  GK De Gea at £5.6m is the only realistic alternative to Smalling at the moment with Young and Blind classified as mids.  Darmain stays in the team by default but is persona non grata as far as LVG is concerned.  Jones has the cheapie potential but can’t stay fit and still has LVG tinkering written all over him.

Arsenal – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  GK Cech was the undoubted star here against Stoke.  Mertesacker seems to keep his place for those looking for cheapies but he’s yet to get a single bonus point despite playing in 7 clean sheets and yet to get an attacking return so you’re playing for 6 points only

Spurs – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. Haven’t got the clean sheets the other stats deserve.  Alot of rotation to come.  Alderweireld seems the safest rotation wise, the best attacker and the bonus point hog but he comes at some price

Man City – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  At last the shadow of Kompany seems to be moving away with 3 clean sheets in the last 4.  Sagna is good value but you will have to accept rotation with City fighting for trophies on 4 fronts

Liverpool – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.  Injuries to Skrtel and Lovren can’t be helping.  Liverpool haven’t got the clean sheets their underlying stats deserve but whether there will be an upturn given the injuries remains to be seen

Southampton – 3 clean sheets in the last 6 show a renewed defensive resolve.  Targett at £3.7m is an amazing bargain.  He’s been back for 2 games and will only play if Koeman continues with 3-5-2.  It has been successful though which is positive

Watford – 1 clean sheet in the last 6.  Struggling after a fine defensive start.  5 games now without a clean sheet.

C Palace – 2 clean sheets in the last 6 but a 3 and 4 goal hammering in the last 3 isn’t great.  2 mistakes by cheapie GK Hennessey suddenly put his place under pressure

Stoke – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.  GK Butland is the GK star but expensive compared o Wollscheid.

Leicester – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  Shown some real form here recently with more emphasis on defence.  Simpson’s the only real choice here though

Chelsea – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.  Really bought down to earth by Everton after finally showing some defensive form.  Zouma gives some price advantage at £5.4m but is a rotation risk compared to Azpilicueta.

WBA – 1 clean sheet in the last 6.  WBA seem immune to Pulis’ defensive charms.  Olsson offers value at £4.3m but seems a gametime risk

Swansea – the form team with 4 clean sheets in the last 6 as Alan Curtis continues the focus on defence which if some of his frankly shocking interviews are true then Gary Monk must have really not bothered with.  The fixtures aren’t kind though.  Not sure how much input the new manager had on the team but £4.1m cheapie RB Rangel didn’t appear and is now a definite gametime risk.  Williams is a bonus point monster

West Ham – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.  £4.3m cheapie Collins is the value at CB.  With Reid back just need to establish how safe he is.  Fixtures are good though

Everton – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.  After Jagielka’s first start resulting in a clean sheet at City there were high hopes for some sort of defensive revival.  It maybe unfair to say that Chelsea put paid to that but it certainly didn’t reinforce it.

A Villa – 1 clean sheet in the last 6.  Richards should return and with Hutton injured is the only options with serious selection tinkering going on.

Bournemouth – 3 clean sheets in the last 6 incredibly although a Mahrez penalty miss has to take credit for 1.  Daniels at LB is one of the few defensive penalty takers it’s just whether the clean sheet risk (their season total is 5)  is worth the potential attacking returns.  Elphick still isn’t ready to return so the premanence of cheapie RB Smith is yet to be tested

Newcastle – 0 clean sheets in the last 6 although only conceded more than 1 goal once in the last 8 so not the whipping boys they once were.  GK Elliot offers value at £4.0m

Norwich – 2 clean sheets in the last 6 sounds good.  However in those 6 games they’ve conceded 3 goals 3 times.  GK Rudd seems good value at £3.9m but has had 2 difficult games so there are questions over his gametime.  CB R Bennett is also cheap at £3.9m.  There still remains the possibility that Wisdom will return to RB and move Martin to CB replacing Bennett

Sunderland – 0 clean sheets in the last 6.  If people thought that Big Sam was going to work his magic then they have so far been very mistaken.  0 clean sheets in the last 6 and 15 goals conceded in the last 6 games says otherwise.  His new CB signing Kirchoff also had a nightmare start which wasn’t helpful.  Who knows whats happening on the GK front.  Pantilimon is off to Watford and £4.0m youngster Pickford started against Spurs.  £4.6m LB Van Aanholt has scored in his last 3 games incredibly

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