Here’s the “ones to watch” for Midfielders on the Barclays fantasy premier league format.  This will give the best midfield players at a variety of price ranges

As I said in my defence article I generally start at 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 but that depends on players not on formation.  I think there are 2 ways of approaching the midfield.  Either go for 4 players you want to play and have a £4.5m 2 point bench filler who’s main characteristic is gametime security.   Or have  3 regular players and then rotate the other 2 who  will be something like £5.0m

I’ve provided the following stats to support the player choices and to guide you in your decisions:

1.  Goals and assists last year.  I’m using last years stats until we have a few more games to build up a picture for this year

2.  Time per point scored last year.  This is how many minutes it takes for a Barclays fantasy premier league point to be scored over the course of last season.  The lower the better obviously.  I’m using last years stats until we have a few more games to build up a picture for this year

3.  Rotation risk.  High, medium or low.  High is the greatest risk of rotation.

4.  Fixture ease ranking:  The link is at the bottom of the article but essentially I’ve ranked all the teams by the ease of the first 6 fixtures.  The team with the best ranking ie 1 will have the easiest next fixtures of any of the fantasy premier league teams over the next 6 games.

5.  Consistency:  The % of times that the player got a goal or assist or 2 point mnimum bonus last year as a % of games played

Elite midfielders

Silva (£9.0m) BUY

• Goals and assists least year:  4 goals 12 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  17 mins .  Rotation risk: medium.   fixture ease ranking: 5th.  Consistency 34%

Great start by Silva and Man City with a goal and good shooting stats in the opening impressive performance against Newcastle.  The only real attacking midfielder  in the team as Navas is too wide and cross driven.  Strikers will rotate so silva remains the  best route for City coverage.  5th best ranked next 6 fixtures as well.  Only shadow was the excellent performance of Nasri which enhances the rotation risk

Walcott (£9.5m) BUY

• Goals and assists least year:  14 goals 13 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  12 mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 9th.  Consistency 83%

Very quiet in the first game against Villa but redeemed himself in the Champions league.  I personally have total faith

Coutinho (£9.0m)  BUY

• Goals and assists least year:  3 goals 7 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  13 mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 3rd.  Consistency 58%

Didn’t return but did everything but.  Great shooting and creating chances stats and with great fixtures and a free reign to drift in centrally the returns will only be a matter of time

Hazard (£9.5m)  HOLD

• Goals and assists least year:  9 goals 16 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  14 mins .  Rotation risk: high.   fixture ease ranking: 20th.  Consistency 55%

only 1 assist in 2 games but very good underlying stats.  I would probably hold him until after GW2 until the blank but you may want to swap into Coutinho, Silva or Walcott who have better fixtures and trade now

Mata (£10.5m) SELL

• Goals and assists least year:  11 goals 18 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  13 mins .  Rotation risk: high.   fixture ease ranking: 20th.  Consistency 83%

2nd top points scorer only to Bale last year and the most consistent returning midfielder.  Was very quiet and with  rotation and the theory that Mata will slow down Mourinho’s pressing and  counter attacking style I would be switching him out.

Mid price midfielders

Mirallas (£7.5m) HOLD

• Goals and assists least year:  6 goals 5 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  19 mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 13th.  Consistency 50%

Didn’t return but did have ok shooting stats against Norwich.  Could do with a bit more monitoring but I wouldn’t abandon him yet.

Nolan (£7.0m) HOLD

• Goals and assists least year:  10 goals 2 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  20 mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 7th.  Consistency 24%

A player who only scores doesn’t assist and is a pure streaky scorer against poor opposition.  Plays in a midfield 3 but gets in to the box regularly.  Conistency rate is appalling and the only reason he’s on my list is that West Ham have the easiest first 6 fixtures out of anyone.  Came through in first game home to Cardiff but fixtures will get trickier

Snodgrass (£6.5m) HOLD

• Goals and assists least year:  6 goals 9 assists.  Time per point scored last year:  20 mins .  Rotation risk: low.   fixture ease ranking: 14th.  Consistency: not tracked

Injured last week but should be back for away game to Hull.

Budget midfielders

Bo-Kyung Kim (£5.0m) HOLD –  with only 2 goals and 3 assists for Cardiff from 20 starts last year my faith has been put in his pre-season where  he’s been playing in an attacking midfield  position and scoring goals.  Quiet in first game but did have the CAM position.  After City game this weekend fixtures get better

Koren (£5.0m) HOLD – 9 goals and 5 assists in 37 starts for Hull last year is not a bad return and seems to again have settled in to an attacking central midfield role in pre-season.  Good fixtures and home game to Norwich so stick with him

Thomas J (£4.5m) SELL– new recruit who should hold his place on the left flank for Palace. A goal and 2 assists in 6 games for Leeds on loan last year,  Injured and with Puncheon joining looks unlikely to line up in my mind

Cabral and Jedinak (both£4.5m) HOLD – 2 players who should start to give you security for your bench when called on but will probably  return little apart from the 2 points for turning up

Gambles

Barkley (£4.5m) BUY – Fantastic start with a goal for the  young attacking midfielder who started due to Gibsons absence.  Performance was strong enough to suggest he should definitely start.  has to displace osman for long term place so still a gamble

R Morrison (£4.5m) SELL – Has really shone in pre-season for West Ham and a massive talent but  didnt get on the pitch.  Joe Coles good start has made it even more difficult

Sterling (£5.5m) SELL–    Got on as a sub and good form of Aspas means hard to see him in the starting line up

Garvan (£5.0m) HOLD–   Started with little effect.  Monitor over next few games

Henderson (£6.0m) BUY – a little expensive but really got forward with purpose in the Stoke game and had good shooting stats.  Great fixtures and worth a punt if you have a gap in that price range

Thats it hope it gave you something to think about