fantasy premier league GW24 best defenders and defences

Here’s my view for the fantasy premier league GW24 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 Sunday 31 January.

fantasy premier league GW24 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. Thats even more important at this stage of the season with blank weeks coming up.  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, a cheapie watch 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.  Borthwick Jackson at £4.0m is extremely cheap and has started the last 2 with Rojo and Shaw injured.  Would be a gametime gamble though

Arsenal – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  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 – 1 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.  The rest are at a similar price.

Man City – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  Sagna is good value at £5.8m but you will have to accept rotation with City fighting for trophies on 4 fronts

Liverpool – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. The Norwich performance was a defensive disaster and Moreno who has so much attacking potential had a disaster of a game and his place has to be at risk.

Southampton – 4 clean sheets in the last 6 show a renewed defensive resolve. Targett at £3.8m is an amazing bargain. He’s been back for 3 games and will only play if Koeman continues with 3-5-2. It has been phenomenally successful though which is positive

Watford – 0 clean sheet in the last 6. Struggling after a fine defensive start. 6 games now without a clean sheet including the last 2 against poorer attacks in Swansea and Newcastle

C Palace – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.  Cheapie GK Hennessey had some encouraging gametime words from Boss Pardew

Stoke – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. GK Butland is the GK star but expensive compared to £4.5m 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 although Huth has some attacking stats

Chelsea – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  Zouma gives some price advantage at £5.4m but is a rotation risk compared to Azpilicueta.

WBA – 2 clean sheet in the last 6. Olsson offers value at £4.3m but seems a gametime risk

Swansea – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  £4.1m cheapie Rangel was selected by the new manager but may need more monitoring for gametime security.  Williams is a bonus point monster

West Ham – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. £4.3m cheapie Collins is the value at CB and held his place with the return of Reid which is a great sign

Everton – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. How much difference Jagielka can make remains to be seen

A Villa – 2 clean sheets in the last 6.

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 6) is worth the potential attacking returns. Captain Elphick still isn’t ready to return so the permanence of cheapie RB Smith is yet to be tested

Newcastle – 0 clean sheets in the last 6 although only conceded more than 1 goal twice in the last 9 so not the whipping boys they once were. GK Elliot offers value at £4.0m plus a DGW at some stage and a plus in the potential mass blank week of GW30

Norwich – 2 clean sheets in the last 6 but 11 goals conceded in the last 3 and a worse defensive performance than the one against Liverpool you will struggle to ever see.   Cheapie GK Rudd at £3.9m has to be a gametime doubt after those defeats

Sunderland – 0 clean sheets in the last 6. 13 goals conceded in the last 6.  Who knows what team will come out.  Van Aanholt has scored in 4 consecutive games

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