You may have seen me mention the Africa Cup of Nations and the Asia Cup in the posts recently. Here’s a basic view of the significant players from an FPL perspective that will be involved and the time frames.
fantasy premier league – The Africa Cup of Nations and the Asia Cup effect
Time frames
The Africa Cup of Nations basically starts for all intents and purposes at GW21. So GW20 will be the last time that they will play. Depending on progress they could be back for either GW23 at the earliest or GW25 if they went through to the final.
The good news is that there’s a January wildcard to help sort out your team if like me you have 3 players going in YYT, Sakho and embarrisingly after he started on the bench against Liverpool Kolo Toure.
The Asian Cup will probably see players missing GW21 to GW23 again depending on progress.
Here’s the Jan Wildcard rules from the FPL site:
The January Wildcard can only be used after Gameweek 20 starts (1 Jan 11:30) until Gameweek 23 ends (7 Feb 11:30); as the January wildcard isn’t available until after the Gameweek 20 deadline, the earliest these transfers will be active is Gameweek 21.
Personally I want to hold out until GW22 when there’s an international break and 2 weeks for rising values and new transfers in which will either affect my team or have the potential to add to it. It’s also the most likely time that Aguero will be back and I will want to buy him without an 8 point hit or such like
The main players involved and who may benefit
Yaya Toure
An injury means he may not even make GW20 and with the Ivory Coast one of the favourites to win he could easily be away until GW25. I imagine that the 2 CMs will be Fernandino and Fernando as replacements neither who have much FPL potential. The main question will be who takes pens and that is unclear. Silva I believe has taken them in the past.
Bony
Another Ivory Coast player. Will probably be replaced by £6.5m Gomis over that period although there are Palace rumours especially if Pardew ends up there are he tried to sign him at Newcastle.. He’s only started 3 games so far and in 400 minutes odd he’s scored the 1 goal. Even this is a little clouded as Swansea have signed striker Oliviera on loan from Benfica. Siggy is probably the player who may have a problem with Bony going given his good relationship with the striker
Here’s GW21-GW25 Swansea games.
West Ham (H)
Chelsea (H)
Southampton (A)
Sunderland (H)
So not great fixtures.
Sakho
The Senagal striker may only miss the short period given they are outsiders. He will probably mean security of starts for his team mate Valencia but given the potential short period it’s questionable whether that changes things given the rotation that has happened to date between the 2.
Mane, Diouf and Cisse
All 3 Senegal players are in good form. Mane going may mean a more central position for Tadic. Diouf could give more certainty for Crouch and Cisse could give Perez a more certain starting spot.
Bolasie, Mahrez and Schlupp
3 players again with less consistent form in teams with less attraction. You would think with Bolasie going then Zaha should be more certain of starts.
Tiote and Kolo Toure
Both Ivory Coast players. Toure will probably see Can stay in a back 3. Tiote is a CDM so little attraction in any replacement there.
Jedinak, Yoshida and Ki
The only 3 significant players going to the Asian Cup. Hard to say with the changes who will take pens with Jedinak going. Yoshida isn’t first choice anyway and relies on a back 3. Ki will probably see more gametime for Britton but again as a CDM he’s a fantasy irrelevance
Thats it. Hope it covers the main issues. If you think I’ve missed anything please put it in the comments section
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The Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations
