fantasy premier league GW27 best defenders and defences

Here’s my view for the fantasy premier league GW27 best defenders and defences. I’ve used a number of stats, actual and underlying. I’ve kept with the blended home and away version rather than splitting them out. There’s also the premium attacking defender and the value defender. I’ve also given you the value of the player as at Friday 19 February

fantasy premier league GW27 best defenders and defences

I’m waiting for the FA Cup weekend to be over before doing the fixture ease schedule as that will mean I can make some assumptions over the blanks in GW30 for the FA Cup quarters and will update the post then

I’ve provided the information in a very simple table form with a few general notes on the table and an attempted explanation for any surprises. I’ve tried to sacrifice some value and attacking where there isn’t a decent amount of gametime security. Thats even more important at this stage of the season with blank weeks coming up. Obviously in the top 4 challenging teams the squad sizes and the number of games sees that rotation can be a risk so it’s impossible to be 100% . I’ve also added my fixture ease ranking as a proxy for defensive fixtures although it is intended as an attacking fixture check. The first number is the ranking ease of the next 6 fixtures and the 2nd number is the next 3. It’s also important read the notes on each club below as they include the clean sheets in the last 6 games. The stats are over the season. In the narrative I’ve tried to deal with recent form, a cheapie watch and injury issues which will help you make an assessment on your view of the best transfer.

Arsenal – 3 clean sheets in the last 6. The cheap CB debate goes on with Gabriel now injured.  It has been pitched as short term and he will be back for GW27 although Physioroom has him at no return date.  Gabriel seems to have won the battle over Mertesacker and that would make him an absolute bargain at £4.3m

Man Utd – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. Injuries recently to Darmian and De Gea in the Europa League add to the incredibly long list already in place.  This does give a number of cheap options but must affect their future clean sheet prospects making them a risky signing at the moment.

Spurs – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. Wimmer at £4.6m has replaced the knee ligament injured Vertonghen who has no return date currently. Otherwise Dier and Alderweireld are the only options due to full back rotation

Man City – 3 clean sheets in the last 6. Kompany returns to the team from injury at £6.1m and that should strengthen the defence even if it’s just to keep Demichelis and Mangala out of the side.  No game in GW27

Southampton – 6 clean sheets in the last 6. Incredible stats.  Targett at £3.9m looks more and more nailed on as long as Koeman continues with 3-5-2.  Guaranteed game in the blank week of GW30.  The question is whether GK Forster is acheiving those clean sheets single handedly at an unsuistainable level

Watford – 1 clean sheet in the last 6.  Reasonable value but seem to have lost that early season clean sheet ability and to some extent the rating is about early season than recent form

Liverpool – 1 clean sheets in the last 6. Finally a clean sheet.  It’s worth noting that Liverpools underlying defensive stats are excellent and this should finally catch up with them and see some clean sheets.  The problem has been individual errors.  These basic underlying stats are the reason I have rated them at 7 rather than the actual returns.  The injuries to Lovren and Skrtel haven’t helped but they should be back soon

Chelsea – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. Another team like Liverpool who have better underlying stats than their results which gives hope that the number of clean sheets will improve. It will be interesting to see how the loss of Zouma effects them. In the 5 games he’s either not played or played limited minutes they’ve conceded 11 goals which is not a good sign. He’s also the only CB with any pace.

Leicester – 3 clean sheets in the last 6.  Have really turned around their defensive form.  Simpson suspended for GW27 is a complete pain for those who were banking on him to start in the blank week of GW27.  Guaranteed game in the anticipated blank week of GW30

C Palace – 0 clean sheets in the last 6. The wheels have really come off the Palace defence.

WBA – 2 clean sheet in the last 6.

Everton – 3 clean sheets in the last 6. Jagielka at £5.1m seems to be making the difference.

Stoke – 1 clean sheet in the last 6. They are guaranteed a game in GW30 is one advantage. 7/12 clean sheets with Shawcross in the team.  Only 2 in 19 without him.  What seems clear also is that Butland has singlehandedly also got clean sheets which he was doing at an unsustainable rate.

West Ham – 1 clean sheets in the last 6. £4.3m cheapie Collins is the value at CB and seems gametime secure.   Cresswell is the real attacking threat though with a goal and 3 assists

Swansea – 1 clean sheets in the last 6. £4.1m cheapie Rangel has started all 4 under the new manager. Williams is a bonus point monster

A Villa – 3 clean sheets in the last 6 contrasts with the defensive disaster that was the 6-0 loss to Liverpool.  The 3 clean sheets were  against Palace, WBA and Norwich though

Bournemouth – 2 clean sheets in the last 6. Daniels at LB is one of the few defensive penalty takers it’s just whether the clean sheet risk (their season total is 5) is worth the potential attacking returns. Captain Elphick is fit so maybe cheapie RB Smith is safe although needs a bit more testing

Newcastle – 1 clean sheets in the last 6. No game in GW27.  GK Elliot offers value at £4.0m plus a DGW at some stage and a guaranteed game in the potential mass blank week of GW30. Alot of injuries though make them a real defensive liability as they showed at Chelsea

Sunderland – 0 clean sheets in the last 6. 0 clean sheets in the last 12.  The new signings of Kone and to a lesser extent Kirchoff at least seems to have stemmed the flow of goals

Norwich – 0 clean sheets in the last 6 and 17 goals conceded says it all.  New signing Klose seems to have made no difference.

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