FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE GW18 – THE BANDWAGONS AND SINKING SHIPS

bandwagons and sinking ships, Fantasy Premier League

Here’s our fantasy premier league GW18 article where we outline the most transferred in players so far in the gameweek (the bandwagons) and the most transferred out (the sinking ships). There’s a table of stats on each as well as some narrative on their prospects and their next 6 fixtures

FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE GW18 – THE BANDWAGONS AND SINKING SHIPS

THE BANDWAGONS

These are the 5 most transferred in players so far in the gameweek. The fixt ease column shows the easeiness ranking of the next 6/3 fixtures. See the full article on fixture ease. Values are as per Saturday

IBRAHIMOVIC

5  goals and an assist in his last 5 games, returning a goal or assist in 4 of those 5 fictures.  The Man Utd striker ticks all the boxes at the moment.  Fixtures, Form, Underlying stats plus the bonus of having pens.  Will be a big captain choice in GW18 home to Sunderland

Next 6 fixtures:

Sunderland (H)
Middlesbrough (H)
West Ham (A)
Liverpool (H)
Stoke (A)
Hull (H)

NEGREDO

After a barren spell of 1 assist in 10 games the Middlesboro striker scored 2 goals in GW17 against Swansea to add to his 2 goals in GW13 away to Leicester. Is this a corner turned?   He has only returned a goal or assist in 5 of his 16 games this season and he really has no underlying shooting stats to rely on.  Also Swansea looks to be becoming the strikers paradise so how much GW17 means is questionable. Looks to have pens

Burnley (A)
Man Utd (A)
Leicester (H)
Watford (A)
West Ham (H)
West Brom (H)

LALLANA

There are certain players who go under the radar in terms of underlying stats and these can often be players of the Aaron Ramsey type who are able to drift into the box from deeper positions to score.  The Liverpool midfielder maybe one of them.   To be returning a goal or assist in 6 of his 12 starts is pretty impressive for the price. 3 goals and an assist in his last 3 is also great form.  Fixtures are mixed but the good ones are very good.

Stoke (H)
Man City (H)
Sunderland (A)
Man Utd (A)
Swansea (H)
Chelsea (H)

LUKAKU

I had to check twice that the Everton striker was indeed on this list.  I mean 2 blanks (admittedly against Arsenal and Liverpool) is hardly the form that usually gets you on this list.  However as I write this 77k FPL managers have indeed transferred him in.

There’s more negatives than positives.  The Watford game in GW15 was the first time he had returned a goal or assist in 7 games.  His underlying shooting stats have fallen off a cliff, he no longer has pen duties and Everton are going through something of a form crisis themselves.

If you’re reaching for positives you have to look at his ability to put strong runs of goals together and the fact that Hull are in GW19.

Leicester (A)
Hull (A)
Southampton (H)
Man City (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Stoke (A)

ZAHA

If you read my Africa Cup of Nations article you’ll see that Zaha despite playing 2 friendlies for England can switch his allegiance to his birth place of the Ivory Coast for AFCON and that is expected to be a successful FIFA application.  That will probably see him gone from GW21 (although I don’t believe playing in GW20 is guaranteed) to potentially GW25.  Not an ideal backdrop for a transfer in.

However form is on his side with 6 returning games in his last 9 although he did blank in his last 2.  He’s also cheap at £5.8m.  The negatives (apart from AFCON) are that he has very little in the way of underlying stats and the Big Sam effect as the new manager of Palace is uncertain.  One the one hand Allardyce will undoubtedly try and fix the defence which could have a negative effect.  On the other hand his direct style may give more opportunities for crosses from Zaha to Benteke.

Here’s the fixtures although it looks like he will be off after the Swansea game although even that can’t be guaranteed at this stage

Watford (A)
Arsenal (A)
Swansea (H)
West Ham (A)
Everton (H)
Bournemouth (A)

THE SINKING SHIPS

These are the 5 most transferred out players so far in the gameweek. The fixt ease column shows the easeiness ranking of the next 6/3 fixtures. See the full fixture ease article where the teams with the best fixtures are ranked. Values are as of Saturday




COSTA

The Chelsea striker ius suspended for 1 game but it seems a little harsh for him to be top of this list.  He is after all the most consistent player returning a goal or assist in 14 of his 17 games this season.  He’s also 2nd on the FPL total points scoring and points per match.  If you’re like me and you have him suspended, Stanislas injured and Ake ineligible to play then I can understand him being sold but otherwise it’s a difficult one given his form.

Bournemouth (H)
Stoke (H)
Spurs (A)
Leicester (A)
Hull (H)
Liverpool (A)

KANE

The Spurs striker was bought in  by a number of FPL managers for home games against Hull and Burnley principally as a captain option.  2 blanks have understandably lead to a number of sales.  Alot has been made of the fact that in those 2 games he only had 1 shot on target but he did have alot of shots they were just off target or blocked.  In fact arguably over the last 4 games no striker has better underlying shooting and creating chances stats than Harry Kane.

He has scored 5 goals in the 7 games since back from injury it’s just the last 3 games blanking that has caused the problems.  Has pens btw

Southampton (A)
Watford (A)
Chelsea (H)
West Brom (H)
Man City (A)
Sunderland (A)

VARDY

The Leicester striker is suspended until GW21 after being sent off in GW17.  If you’re not keeping Aguero in similar circumstances then you’re certainly not keeping Vardy given his rather inconsistent season.  Once back in GW21 though he should get a good run in the team with Slimani going to AFCON.  Slimani though will benefit in the short term with an unrotated place.  The negative of Vardy post GW21 is that so will chief provider Mahrez will also be going to AFCON.

GUNDOGAN

Injured and now out for the rest of the season.  This may give Yaya Toure more starts which was indeed the case in GW17

Hull (A)
Liverpool (A)
Burnley (H)
Everton (A)
Spurs (H)
West Ham (A)

SON

The Spurs midfielder had such a great start to the season but it all seems to have gone wrong for some reason.  He’s been in a sub in the last 2 gameweeks despite his natural rival Lamela being injured.  Dembele has even come into the attacking 3 mids in the last game.  2 returning games in his last 6 starts hasn’t helped although his underlying stats have held up. However the 2 sub appearances and the minutes played when he does start are not helpful

Southampton (A)
Watford (A)
Chelsea (H)
West Brom (H)
Man City (A)
Sunderland (A)

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