Those of you who are following the fantasy premier league articles this week will know that I am using my wildcard so you’ll probably wonder why I’m showing an imaginary one. Well due to budget constraints mine contains a number of compromises so I’ve upped the budget here so you can see the best picks. See my “ones to watch” picks for the key stats table and fixtures plus more detail
The budget I’ve used here is around £110m but I’ll suggest some compromises along the way
Here’s the imaginary Wildcard Team
Mannone
They may not have the best defence (although it has improved at the back end of the season) but they do have an additional 2 DGWs in GW34 and GW37 so Mannone is worth it for those additional save points. Plus he dovetails reasonably well with Adrian who is the next GK choice. I’ve predicted 3 home clean sheets to the end of the season here
Adrian
There’s not that many clean sheets to the rest of the season with Hull and Crystal Palace the only likely looking home clean sheets but 2 home games in DGW31 provides an attraction. West Ham also have an ability to get clean sheets in the unlikeliest of places which makes Adrain a standalone option.
Coleman
The highest goal scoring defender and the highest percentage owned defender in fantasy premier league and only 1 point off being the highest point scorer. With a good run of fixtures and still good underlying shooting and creating chances stats those without Coleman will be watching games behind the sofa such is the damage he will cause if he scores. Distin at £5.3m is the alternative with little attacking potential
Kolarov
Is definitely a gametime risk rotating with Clichy but when on the pitch he’s the most lethal attacking defender in fantasy premier league. Can also look lively from the bench as often is substituted into a LWM position. Out of 2 competitions and now able to concentrate on winning the league without distraction then Pellegrini can concentrate on his best team. Personally I think he favours Kolarov over Clichy but he’s a definite risk. If you’ve got more cash Zabaleta at £6.0m is a safer gametime choice but still has attacking potential
Azpilicueta
The defence may have slipped up recently a little but I still judge them as the best in the league with some reasonable fixtures. I’ve therefore kept representation at the lowest price level
Rosenior
West Brom Home and West Ham away are 2 very good DGW31 fixtures plus there’s an extra fixture in DGW34 albeit away to Man Utd. Rosenior represents the cheapest gametime secure option into the defence. If you’ve got more cash Davies at £4.7m offers more attacking and bonus potential
Williamson
At £4.2m it’s worth playing the £0.3m over Dummett for more gametime security. Again 2 home games in DGW31 and Swansea and Cardiff as your last 2 home games makes it worthwhile having someone who will stay in the team to the end of the season.
Hazard
There’s alot of debate about whether to keep Hazard or not in your team Ive already said that not having the 3rd highest owned midfielder who’s already scored 8 10 point plus hauls in fantasy premier league isn’t for me. Alot of people have countered by saying that YYT especially will score more with the 3 extra games. That maybe true and it maybe even true of Silva but that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice Hazard. For example I don’t personallt think that Adam Johnson plus the cash is worth dumping Hazard for.
Ki
With Colback left out of the team last week then Ki becomes the safest lowest costing player in the Sunderland team to give you the option of an easy 4 points in DGW34 and DGW37. This is especially if you have a budget which forces you to rotate 2 cheapies.
YYT
On pen duties until Aguero is back and pushed forward last week from the start instead of 2 strikers YYT looks a difficult player to leave out of your team given that City have 3 DGWs. Is an important player in the team so should be fairly rotation free with no additional competitions to fight for.
Gerrard
The 3rd top scoring midfielder virtually on set pieces and penalties alone. Quite incredible given his deep lying position. Will probably mean you are forcing 3 Liverpool players into your team but he’s is the most consistent returner of goals and assists in fantasy premier league. Sterling at £5.9m is the cheapie alternative although the diamond formation does add risk to his position with competition from Coutinho. Henderson at £6.4m is far more secure although his returns are far less.
Silva
Silva has been virtually the opposite of Hazard this year in the sense that he’s consistently kept the points ticking over but until last week seemed unable to get big point hauls. With 3 extra games and maybe his luck in finishing about to turn. For me he’s an excellent gamble to the end of the season. Nasri at £8.1m is a cheaper version who seems to be first choice over Navas. However he definitely is more rotatable and even when not rotated he’s very substitutable and in the 16 games since he’s started regularly he’s only played 80 minutes or more 5 times.
Lukaku
May have disappointed against very obliging opposition again when in the captain spotlight but has been reasonably consistent in keeping the points scoring ticking over. The only issue is that he hasn’t had a 10 point plus haul in 13 appearances. However he is probably the safest gametime Everton coverage over what are good DGW31 fixtures and beyond with a DGW34. He definitely has the potential to explode, we just haven’t seen it recently. Deulofeu is the gametime risky cheapie at £5.4m
Sturridge
The man who has provided a goal or assist in 84% of his appearances this season and has returns per minute only bettered by Suarez and Aguero. Just impossible to ignore. Is brilliant on the counter attack which suits Liverpool down to the ground. The diamond formation used in the last 2 games has slowed him down with only an assist in his last 2 games. Difficult to know if this is coincidence or not.
Suarez
There’s no alternative here. Bound to be the overwhelming captain choice. Has answered those who sold him with 26 points in his last 2 games.
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