Here’s our fantasy premier league midfielders GW29 article where we give our midfield player rankings for GW29. There’s a table of information and discussion on some players of interest
fantasy premier league midfielders GW29 – player rankings for midfielders
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Important note before going further
I’ve now changed the focus to the last 10 gameweeks rather than the season
The first schedule ranks players by their NON penalty underlying stats and expected assists converted to FPL points in the last 10 gameweeks . Those who have taken penalties or are expected to be the penalty taker have an * next to their name
The form gives their ranking from the season/last 10 gameweeks/ last 5 gameweeks. I’ve put them in seperate columns so they are sortable. Note I have not completed this for GW29
The F Ease is the fixture ease ranking.
The value for money VFM ratio is the total expected points from their underlying stats divided by their price
The 2nd schedule shows their xG90 (expected goals) and xA90 (expected assists) plus their shots per 90 and key passes per 90.
There’s also anytime goalscorer odds.
I’ve already posted the defender rankings and forward rankings
Player values and PPMs are as of Thursday 18th March
The schedule ranked by Midfielders NON penalty underlying stats over the last 10 Gameweeks
Here is the link to the google spreadsheet. You can go to file>make a copy and then sort it how you like. 360 mins needed to qualify. Underlying Stats are from the free site understat.com
A few comments on players with fixtures in GW29
Aubameyang
The immediate issue with Aubameyang is his fall out last week with Arteta after being late for the game meet up in GW28. Apparently it’s all forgotten so hopefully that derisks that element. Secondly there’s the Pep like rotation that Arteta is doing at the moment. It seems a bit ridiculous in that they are in 2 competitions not 4 but who am I to judge.
It’s quite daunting to think that he’s only started 4 games in the last 10, been a no show in 3 and a sub in 3. The 4 games he has started though were Newcastle, Leeds, Man City and Burnley. His stats in the 3 games apart from City were breathtaking but they are really games that make players look great, especially Leeds, who were prone to crumble at any given moment.
West Ham are a completely different kettle of fish and a decent defensive team. However if you’re in for the longer term there are fixtures against Fulham, Sheff Utd and Everton after Liverpool in GW30.
The questions are whether he will play and is this the real Aubameyang or a fixture bubble version of himself.
Also whether he plays in the Europa may give some clues to playing prospects at the weekend
Lingard
It’s difficult to understate how good Lingard has been in his 6 games at West Ham. 5 goals and 2 assists good backed up by some serious underlying stats as you can see above. Fixtures against Villa, Sheffield Utd, Fulham and Leeds again helped so there will be a sustainability question over him
Arsenal isn’t a great fixture for him and in the 4 after that only Newcastle looks an easy fixture.
Raphinha
Has just been consistently excellent. 3 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 possibly doesn’t do him justice. Has blanked in the last 3 but apart from the steel curtain that is the Chelsea defence his attacking output was good so it doesn’t look like an issue to me
Saka
Another player who has been consistently excellent but up to a point. That is up to the last 5 when he has been pretty ordinary underlying stats wise except for the Burnley fixture. You could also say in real returns it’s only 1 assists in the last 8 gameweeks. Even worse is if your attacking output is poor against Leeds it’s not a great sign. Is also an injury doubt so again the Europa lineup is worth looking at
Trossard
This is all about the fixture and throw in a bit of Sheff Utd in GW33. The reality is that his goal against Southampton was his first return in 6 gameweeks despite playing Palace and WBA in that run. His underlying stats are definitely ok for the price but throw in an underperformance risk and low volumes and it becomes about Newcastle rather than Trossard.
Grealish
Apparently has been training so there appears to be some prospect of an appearance against Spurs. Whether that’s from the start or as a sub I guess remains to be seen. His form has certainly tailed off in the 5 games that he played in the last 10 gameweeks where he got a single goal and 2 assists. That was a continuation of 2 assists in the 5 games prior to that although they did involve Man City and Chelsea.
Probably what’s most concerning is his drop off of shooting volumes. In his last 10 games he’s only shot more than once in 2 games and in 3 games he didn’t shoot at all. When I’ve seen him play recently he seems far too far too close to the touchline for my liking.
Bale
His rank is affected by the average minutes of 50. Has started the last 4 but yet to get past the 70 minute mark in those games and was subbed after 56 minutes and Mourinho moaned afterwards about a lack of intensity which was a fair point as Smith Rowe and Tierney made hay down Bales flanked as he stood and watched.
In the 4 games he was sensational in 2 vs Burnley and Palace who can be 2 of the accommodating defences in an off day. He was pretty anonymous v Arsenal and Fulham.
Villa aren’t the best defensive team. Any team that concedes 26 shots and 2.33 xG vs Brighton have got some problems but they’re not the worst either. The lack of Grealish seems to have sent Smith back to his post restart defensive Bunker which should help them. Bale does have Newcastle in GW30 though which is an attraction.
It’s a situation that’s hard to pick and it may come down to that uncertainty or the fact he’s the most transferred in player this gameweek plus the Newcastle GW30 fixture that makes you transfer him in.
Gross
Has come back into the side and played the last 10 although that’s only resulted in 3 assists and no goals. Could have pens although it seems like everyone in the attacking lineup has missed one at some stage so even that must be tinged with some doubt.
Like Trossard this is mostly about the fixture.
Bertrand Traore
Is an injury doubt and with 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 10 I’m not sure I’d be looking there anyway
Lookman
1 goal in his last 11 and that was against Sheff Utd doesn’t inspire much confidence. He is playing Leeds and is cheap which is the best you can say about him. Underlying stats don’t offer much hope either.
Players who didn’t make the schedule due to injury
Where they would have been in the schedule in brackets
(9) Harvey Barnes, (11) Son Heung-Min, (13) James Maddison
Players who didn’t make the schedule due to gametime risk
(12) Nicolas Pepe, (24) Ross Barkley, (27) Alexis Mac Allister, (29) Jarrod Bowen
Fixture Ease
Here’s a schedule ranking their fixtures over the next 5 gameweeks by the ease of the defences they face
Other posts
Analysing the teams of 10 top managers
Early thoughts on the FFGeek team
The FFGeek Captain and Transfer Polls
FFGeek Contributors Teams Part 1
FFGeek Contributors Teams Part 2
FFGeek Contributors teams Part 3
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