The telegraph gives us fantasy football interest where many formats of the game don’t by including the FA Cup in the scope of the game. It means this weekend we’ll at least stay glued to our phones for results that effect our TFF teams. This article looks at the plum fixtures in the fourth round for the premier league teams and gives some transfer targets if they line up for their teams
telegraph fantasy football – looking ahead to the FA Cup 4th round and February
THE FA CUP 4TH ROUND
The telegraph fantasy football format allows you in most cases to view the lineups of the teams before making a transfer. Thats a great addition to the format taking out that element of luck in the game resulting from unforseen rotation or hidden injuries by managers. This is ideal for the FA Cup as we can see in those plum ties against lower division teams who is playing and who is rested. That gives us a great opportunity to make a transfer for a player who may give us an immediate points return but who will also be a valuable addition to our squad in the longer term for the premier league fixtures
So in this article I’m going to focus on the best ties that premier league teams will face. I’ll suggest some players that will be useful additions to your teams if they appear in the lineups and then show you their fixtures for February.
Firstly lets just remind ourselves of the transfer rules between games as it appears on the site:
As with last season, you’ll be able to make transfers between the majority of kick-off times – as long as there are at least two hours between the scheduled kick-off times.
In the case of delays to kick-offs, the initial scheduled kick-off time stands for the purposes of transfers.
So, for example, if you want to bring in a player ahead of a 5:30pm kick-off on a Saturday, you aren’t required to complete that transfer before 12:30pm that day as it can be completed any time before 5:30pm. The exception to this rule will be when matches overlap – which tends to happen fairly infrequently. So, for example, if there are kick-offs at 1pm and 2pm, or if there are matches starting at 7:45pm and 8pm – then the earliest kick-off time of the overlapping matches will be the transfer deadline for those matches.
You can see the FA Cup 4th round fixtures below. The only one that would cause an issue would be Fulham v Hull in my mind where you would have to make a transfer before the Millwall v Watford game. The lineups would be out before that kicks off anyway.
Hopefully I’ve got that right but the telegraph normally post a warning on the site anyway if there are fixtures that cause problems with the rules
Here’s the 4th round draw taken from the BBC website:
FIXTURES TO FOCUS ON FOR TRANSFERS
Liverpool v Wolves
To me there are 2 players worth focusing on Coutinho and Firmino. I suspect that given the EFL semi that neither will start unfortunately. Here’s their stats:
Their next fixtures to the end of February are tricky though:
Chelsea (H)
Hull (A)
Spurs (H)
FA Cup 5th Rd
Leicester (A)
Chelsea v Brentford
Here I would go for either Costa or Pedro if they start. I can’t see Costa starting but Pedro may do. He has some minutes and rotation challenges but could score big in a game like this
I would also invest in any of the following Defenders if they start in this order:
Alonso £3.8m
Azplicueta £4.3m
Luiz £4.3m
Their next fixtures to the end of February:
Liverpool (A)
Arsenal (H)
Burnley (A)
FA Cup 5th round
Swansea (H)
Middlesborough v Accrington
The only player I would go for is Negredo but I suspect Gestede or Bamford will start
Their next fixtures to the end of February:
West Brom (H)
Spurs (A)
Everton (H)
FA Cup 5th Rd
Crystal Palace (A)
Spurs v Wycombe
I’d be surprised if any of these players start but if they do they are all worth transferring in
If either of the full backs start I would transfer them in:
Rose £4.1m
Walker £4.2m
Their next fixtures to the end of February:
Sunderland (A)
Middlesbrough (H)
Liverpool (A)
FA Cup 5th round
Stoke (H)
Manchester United v Wigan
I can’t see Ibrahimovic starting but if you haven’t got him he would be a good fixture if he does. Mkhitarayan has more chance. Again he has some minutes and rotation challenges but if he does start this would be a good time to get him in
If defender Valencia £3.8m starts he would be my choice for defender. Jones would be second choice at £3.5m but there is still some rotation risk
Their next fixtures to the end of February:
Hull (H)
Leicester (A)
Watford (H)
Man City (A) (postponed if Man Utd reach the EFL final)
