Sun Dream Team tips – the best midfielders

 Sun Dream Team tips – the best midfielders table

I’ve based the table on a mxture of Points Per Game, Future Fixtures and Value for Money.  It’s not the just the best points or points per game it’s a mixture of the 3 key stats.  The Key to understand the stats is at the bottom of the table.  Then there is  a short commentary on each player.  It’s important to read this as a number of players have some gametime issues to consider.  There’s also a bit on the  best points per game stats by cost band

KEY

1.  Rank:  My view of their rank given the various stats

2.  Cost:  Their cost in Sun Dream Team

3.  Points;  The total points to date in Sun Dream Team

4.  The points per game:  The total points divided by the games played.  The higher the better.  The Sun Dream Team supplies games including sub appearances which makes the information a bit distorted.

5.  Points per game/£Cost:  A rough calculation of their points per game in relation to their value.  The higher the figure the better.  This shows how good value they are

6.  The % of 7+  plus awards of their total games.  This gives a general indication of Sun Dream Teams view of the player

7.  The % of Starman awards.  Again this gives a general view of the players starman potential

8.   Fixture ease.  This is the rank of how easy their fixtures are to the end of the season

I’ve then attempted  to rank them although obviously you will have your own views.

Commentary on each player

Ramsey

Lets get this straight until he got injured Ramsey was an absolute revelation when he played and deservedly has the best stats and the number 1 rating.  However there are 2 questions

1.  When will he be fit.  Wenger said today that “he is two weeks maybe”.  We’ve been hearing that for some time now thats for sure.  Is he worth putting in with the prospect of missing 2 fixtures minimum and then facing maybe a few games as a sub before getting match fit?

Also will he come back in the same form?  Arsenal were flying at the time.  Its now going to be a very nervous finish to secure 4th.

These are 2 very big inponderables to base a transfer on.

On the positive side they have potentially 2 games extra via the FA Cup.

Hazard

Hazard has the advantage on being the star in a very good team.  He may not be the mosr consistent scorer but he has the potential to score big in any game and is a very eye catching player which also helps with Starman awards.  He has the highest % of Starman awards of anyone apart from Ramsey.  Hazard’s though are over a much larger number of games.  Going forward he has at least 2 extra games through the champions league.    Does have rotation risk due to the number of players who are attacking midfielders at the club but this hasn’t been an issue with his gametime to date.  With Chelsea alive in both the league and the Champions league it’s hard to see that he will be significantly rotated at this crucial stage of the season.

Yaya Toure

With Ramsey the midfield revelation of the season.  Hard to believe that he’s the next highest scorer in the premier league behind Suarez and Sturridge but it’s true.  Will have pen duties until Aguero is back and has also been pushed forward at times by Pellegrini for further advantage.  Starman awards are diluted by the amount of other stars in the City team but a very consistent 7+ award performer.  City have 2 extra games from postponements and it seems unlikely given his importance to the team that he will be rested.  This is especially so as City have no other competitions to concentrate on.

Silva

Last night against United summed up the negative part of his season in that he could have had a hat trick but just couldn’t put the ball in the net.  However Sun Dream Team absolutely love him.  He has the highest % of 7+ awards of any midfilielder  and only Hazard and Ramsey have a higher % of Starman awards.  If he can start scoring then he really will be a major force as even without goals he’s not far behind Hazard and YYT in points per game.  He’s also a crucial creative force in the City team and shouldn’t be prone to rotation.  As I said for YYT   City have 2 extra games from postponements and it seems unlikely given his importance to the team that he will be rested.  Especially as City have no other competitions to concentrate on.

Lallana

Lallana is the eye catching creative force within the successful Southampton team and  his high % of Starman awards reflects his star status within the team.  No extra games but hard to see him rested or rotated due to his importance to the team

Gerrard

Gerrard is another Sun Dream Team favourite as evidenced by his high 7+ % and a very good starman % when you consider Suarez and Sturridge is in the team.  You’re relying on penalties and set pieces for non award points which isn’t ideal but Suarez, Sterling, Sturridge and Skrtel have consistently helped him produce these.  Another negative was the sight of Coutinho taking corners against Cardiff and the game against Sunderland tonight will be interesting from that point of view. Another negative is that Gerrard has  got 9 yellow cards and therefore only 1 card away from a suspension which isn’t ideal

Barkley

Has had alot of gametime issues recently and has up until the last 2 games being left out the side.  However his return in the last 2 games has been nothing short of sensational.  With Martinez publically saying (and doing it) that he will be rotating his midfield then there’s a risk that he may not play every game.  You’ve got to believe that the last 2 games form will make him crucial and that Martinez will go to a settled team now that the Champions league spot is a realistic aim.

Huddlestone

With Robbie Brady injured Huddlestone has been the focus of Sun Dream Team attention.  A good passer of the ball over short and long range and the person who takes set pieces he seems to have the favour of the judges with an extremely high 7+% and a good starman record considering Hulls league position.  Have potentially 2 extra games with the FA Cup

Eriksen

The only real creative midfielder in the Spurs side although for some reason Sherwood has played him wide and then on occasions played the winger Chadli centrally?  However he has produced returns despite a fairly ordinary 7+ % and Starman %.  However form is improving and we should be expecting even better returns from him.  Sherwood is a bit of a tinkerer so gametime still remains a residual issue although you would hope recent form would put that to bed.

Delph

An all action box to box midfielder who has started to add goals to his game.  The attraction is undoubtedly his value at £1.0m and his returns are very good for that price.  Again for the price his 7+ % and Starman awards are good.  He’s also in a good recent vein of form and with the fixtures being reasonably attractive the prospects for improvement are good

Sidwell

A similar type midfielder to Delph but more expensive and the returns aren’t as good.  However Fulham probably have the edge on fixtures and Sidwell doesn’t have much competition in the future for Starman awards.

Adam Johnson

Had one run of 4 games when he looked absolutely fantastic but has too often been invisible and has recently been subbed as well.  Thats evidence by his poor 7+ % record. Has the potential to be a big star in a very ordinary attacking team given his talent.  Sunderland have 2 extra games and Johnson has the motivation of an outside chance of an England world cup sqaud if he can play at his best.  A  big gamble that he can turn an ordinary season apart from 4 games into a consistent finishing run.

Best points per game by value range

Here’s a quick schedule to show you which players have the best points per game stats within the following cost ranges

£6.0m – £7.0m

YYT 5.9 PPG , Hazard 5.9 PPG

£5.0m – £6.0m

Silva 5.2 PPG, Gerrard 4.6 PPG

£4.0m – £5.0m

Eriksen 4.0 PPG, Nasri 3.7 PPG

£3.0m – £4.0m

Snodgrass 3.5 PPG, Johnson 3.2 PPG

£2.0m – £3.0m

Ramsey 6.6 PPG, Lallana 4.9 PPG

£1.0m – £2.0m

Barkely 4.3 PPG, Huddlestone 3.6 PPG

Thats it hope you found them useful Sun Dream Team tips

Here’s the link to the fixture article.  You will need to copy and paste into your browser

Sun Dream Team transfer window 4- The Teams with the best fixtures to the end of the season

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