Here’s our fantasy premier league tips midfielders GW5 article in our player rankings series. There’s a table of stats to help you make a transfer choice plus some narrative on each player afterwards and their fixtures
fantasy premier league tips midfielders GW5 – player rankings
Methodology
I’ve started with a selection of midfielders that I think will start GW5 and have some longevity in the team.
I’ve then taken their expected goals and assist information from 17/18 and converted it into projected points through adjustments for minutes played bonus and fixtures. There’s also adjustments for any specific relevant 18/19 factors. For fixtures I’ve increased the view to 6 games.
Whether you believe the rankings or not there’s plenty of information to make your own decision
We are obviously only 4 gameweeks in so it’s inevitable that the large basis of information is based on last seasons stats
Stats definitions
Pts per 90: the FPL points earned per 90 minutes played in 17/18
Fixture ease ranking so you can see who has the best fixtures from GW5-10 and GW5-7. See our fixture ease article
Underlying stats ranking is from our end of season underlying stats article where projected goals are turned into raw points. It’s their rank in relation to each other not for every midfielder. Info from the excellent free site understat.com article
VFM rank. I have divided their projected points by their price to get a rough value for money assessment
ATGS GW5 – 1 bookies anytime goalscoring odds for the player. It assumes they start and doesn’t include assist potential
The schedule
Salah
2 goals and 2 assists in his first 4 games, returning in 3 of those 4 games and averaging 84 minutes on the pitch with two 90 minute games. Underlying stats also which are even better than last seasons mind blowing stats. Only Lukaku of players with more than 200 minutes played has better shot stats. Will surely remain a captain option as well.
The price, a tough set of fixtures coming up plus an inability to win bonus points are the negatives. It’s just whether you think those are worth jumping ship for.
Spurs (A)
Southampton (H)
Chelsea (A)
Man City (H)
Huddersfield (A)
Cardiff (H)
Hazard
After a slow introduction post the World Cup it’s business as usual with two 90 minute appearances and 2 goals and, for him, a disappointing 4 bonus points.
Despite the more attacking manager his underlying stats, albeit only on 220 minutes aren’t that different to with the more defensive minded Conte despite 2 pretty kind fixtures against Newcastle and Bournemouth.
Has penalties, a great transfer in fixture, good bonus point potential and an advanced position are the positives. The only negative is his underlying stats. However even those he has consistently over performed. As long as you believe that will continue he’s a great pick.
Cardiff (H)
West Ham (A)
Liverpool (H)
Southampton (A)
Man Utd (H)
Burnley (A)
David Silva
With De Bruyne injured David Silva is the natural creative player to pick up the slack. That’s been reflected in him starting all 3 games after an injury in GW1. So far it hasn’t affected his ability to get into the box as he showed last season. So far that hasn’t been reflected in only the 1 goal so far.
A fantastic set of short term fixtures awaits him.
Fulham (H)
Cardiff (A)
Brighton (H)
Liverpool (A)
Burnley (H)
Spurs (A)
Mane
Started the season off in fantastic form with 4 goals in his first 4 games and posting some exceptionally good underlying stats in the process. He’s also picked up 8 bonus points which is the same as he collected in 2,189 minutes in all of last season.
The only negative is the fixtures.
Spurs (A)
Southampton (H)
Chelsea (A)
Man City (H)
Huddersfield (A)
Cardiff (H)
Sanchez
A slow start to the season with 2 assists from his 2 starts plus 1 sub appearance. Has posted awful shot numbers although it’s been quality of shots rather than volume that’s been the issue. Has increased his creative presence for United, he just needs to rediscover his goal threat. It’s worth remembering that it was only 2016/17 that he scored 24 goals and 11 assists albeit in a far more cavalier Arsenal side than Mourinho’s.
The poor shooting stats so far and the price are the big negatives as well as United’s stuttering start in 10th.
Watford (A)
Wolves (H)
West Ham (A)
Newcastle (H)
Chelsea (A)
Everton (H)
Ramsey
With Emery’s starting 11 roulette in full swing it’s hard to be certain about anyone starting except maybe Aubameyang and even with him you don’t know where he’s going to play. Ramsey has played 90 minutes in the last 2 which gives some hope.
He’s still yet to post a return and his underlying stats are way back on what he’s been producing in recent seasons. However given how consistent these have been historically you could make a case for their improvement and subsequent returns improvement.
That history and the fixture list are the main attractions
Newcastle (A)
Everton (H)
Watford (H)
Fulham (A)
Leicester (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Pogba
2 goals both through penalties although he also missed 1 v Burnley is his start to 18/19 plus averaging 88 minutes per game. If he keeps penalties after the miss that’s a big bonus.
There are some negatives though. Firstly his underlying stats have been atrocious so far this season although you would think they would improve given the historic levels he’s produced. He also will generally play in the midfield 3 of 4-3-3 which isn’t ideal.
You’re effectively relying on his history to see improvement in form and a good fixture schedule.
Watford (A)
Wolves (H)
West Ham (A)
Newcastle (H)
Chelsea (A)
Everton (H)
Eriksen
With Eriksen you know you’re going to get set pieces and 90 minutes pretty much every game plus the odd screamer as the basis of your returns. However 1 assist in 4 appearances (all 90 minutes btw) show how little attacking output he’s produced this season. There seems to be an issue with him playing deeper as well which maybe the cause of the situation.
It’s whether you think the minutes and the set pieces (minus some Trippier direct free kicks) are enough
Liverpool (H)
Brighton (A)
Huddersfield (A)
Cardiff (H)
West Ham (A)
Man City (H)
Lingard
Should be the beneficiary of the RW position in a front 3 even if it is only for 70 minutes or so each game as we saw at Burnley repeating the pattern of last season.
That and the ability to be rotated is the main draw back as position and underlying stats wise he has alot of positives. Is closer to his last years numbers than his colleagues Sanchez and Pogba are
Watford (A)
Wolves (H)
West Ham (A)
Newcastle (H)
Chelsea (A)
Everton (H)
Pedro
With Willian playing for Brazil over the International Break and Cardiff next if you’re ever going to roll the dice on Pedro now is the time. 3 goals in 3 starts and 1 sub appearance are certainly a good platform for the decision.
It’s easy to forget in that stat that he was a sub in the last game and even if he retains his starting place Willian will always have the potential to steal minutes off him via substitutions at the very least.
The other cautionary aspect is that he’s currently running his underlying stats at way above anything he’s ever done before. That maybe down to Sarri over Conte as the new manager is certainly more attacking. However it may just be a blip. That’s the unknown as previous seasons his stats were pretty ordinary.
Cardiff (H)
West Ham (A)
Liverpool (H)
Southampton (A)
Man Utd (H)
Burnley (A)
Moura
A similar tale to Pedro in many ways. 3 goals in his first 4 games as well as an advanced position in the last 2 which is pretty much a striker role.
The main negative is the impact that Son HM could have on his gametime. Given Moura’s form it’s hard to see Son gaining his starting position but he could easily take minutes off him via substitutions. There’s also the inherent risk of a lack of PL games makes it hard to predict especially as his underlying stats have been very good in 2 games and woeful in 2 others and so far it’s 6 shots and 3 goals where his recent ratio has been 6 to 1.
Good fixtures after the Liverpool game.
Liverpool (H)
Brighton (A)
Huddersfield (A)
Cardiff (H)
West Ham (A)
Man City (H)
Maddison
A goal and an assist so far in 4 games averaging an OK 76 minutes as a CAM are the plus points. I also agree with alot of FPL managers that “eye test” wise he’s looked good.
However it’s all not that rosy. He has really only produced decent underlying stats in the Liverpool game and although shoots alot it seems there is an unhealthy percentage from outside the box. That’s fine if you’re Coutinho, De Bruyne or Eriksen but Maddision has some time before he can make a case he’s at that level.
The price for me is also a little steep for a first timer in the premier league. Gray for example is £1m less.
Bournemouth (A)
Huddersfield (H)
Newcastle (A)
Everton (H)
Arsenal (A)
West Ham (H)
Players not in the list
In no particular order. Injury doubts are as I write this on Tuesday.
Mkhitaryan and Ozil – not sure who will play out of these 2 given Mkhitaryan on bench GW4 and Ozil form and subbings
Sane, Mahrez, Bernardo Silva – high risk to be victims of Pep rotation
Walcott, Fraser, Alli, Sterling – all injury doubts
Schurrle and Pereyra – bad transfer in fixtures
Richarlison – suspended
Gross – potential to be left out in away games
See also the bandwagons and sinking ships article Rob Reids August review the FFGeek contributors imaginary wildcard teams part 1, 10 top FPL managers article, the underlying stats GW4 article, Jordans wildcard team, the early thoughts on the FFGeek team article and thefixture ease article
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