Here’s my rating of all the fantasy premier league defences home and away coming into GW23. I’ve done it differently than before ranking them in order home and away.
I’ve based it on goals conceded and clean sheets plus some underlying defensive stats. They’re ranked in the table below with GC (goals conceded) and CS (clean sheets) in the columns for reference. If you cant be bothered with the detail then below the table I’ve put a couple of paragraphs with the implications.
| Best Home defences | Goals conceded | Clean sheets | ||
| Team | ||||
| 1 | Hull | 8 | 6 | |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 7 | |
| 3 | Manchester City | 8 | 6 | |
| 4 | Southampton | 12 | 5 | |
| 5 | Liverpool | 8 | 4 | |
| 6 | Chelsea | 9 | 3 | |
| 7 | Man Utd | 10 | 4 | |
| 8 | WBA | 13 | 3 | |
| 9 | Everton | 9 | 5 | |
| 10 | Stoke | 12 | 4 | |
| 11 | Norwich | 11 | 4 | |
| 12 | Tottenham | 13 | 5 | |
| 13 | Newcastle | 12 | 3 | |
| 14 | Aston Villa | 16 | 2 | |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 14 | 4 | |
| 16 | West Ham | 19 | 4 | |
| 17 | Swansea | 20 | 3 | |
| 18 | Sunderland | 19 | 2 | |
| 19 | Cardiff | 17 | 3 | |
| 20 | Fulham | 22 | 2 | |
| Best away defences | Goals conceded | Clean sheets | ||
| Team | ||||
| 1 | Chelsea | 11 | 5 | |
| 2 | Everton | 11 | 4 | |
| 3 | Tottenham | 13 | 4 | |
| 4 | Arsenal | 13 | 3 | |
| 5 | Southampton | 13 | 3 | |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 13 | 4 | |
| 7 | WBA | 16 | 2 | |
| 8 | Swansea | 13 | 2 | |
| 9 | Manchester City | 17 | 2 | |
| 10 | Sunderland | 17 | 3 | |
| 11 | Manchester United | 17 | 2 | |
| 12 | Liverpool | 20 | 2 | |
| 13 | West Ham | 14 | 5 | |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 17 | 2 | |
| 15 | Newcastle | 16 | 3 | |
| 16 | Hull | 20 | 0 | |
| 17 | Norwich | 24 | 3 | |
| 18 | Cardiff | 21 | 2 | |
| 19 | Fulham | 26 | 1 | |
| 20 | Stoke | 24 | 2 | |
The best overall fantasy premier league defences
1. Arsenal
2nd best home defence. 4th best away defence. 19 goals conceded and 10 clean sheets
No doubt in my mind the best overall defence. Stats speak for themselves
2. Chelsea
6th best home defence. 1st best away defence. 20 goals conceded and 8 clean sheets
The form defence with 4 clean sheets in the last 6
3. Southampton
4th best home defence. 5th best away defence. 25 goals conceded and 8 clean sheets
Only 2 clean sheets in the last 13. the rating is skewed towards the early part of the season where they had 6 clean sheets in their last 9. It takes a leap of faith to think they can get back to that form. That leap wont be helped by the injury of Lovren and the form of Boruc if last week is anything to go buy.
4. Everton
9th best home defence. 2nd best away defence. 20 goals conceded and 9 clean sheets
Another in questionable form with 1 clean sheet in the last 8. However they’ve not conceded more than 1 goal in that run and they have excellent early season form.
5. WBA
8th best home defence. 6th best away defence. 29 goals conceded and 5 clean sheets
This is a leap of faith that the very good underlying stats will result in better returns as the overall goals conceded and clean sheets aren’t impressive. 1 clean sheet in their last 12
6. Manchester City
3rd best home defence. 9th best away defence. 25 goals conceded and 8 clean sheets
2 clean sheets in the last 9 isn’t a great pointer. They do have the ability in the defence but the attacking style of play is hurting them. However some parts of the underlying stats suggest the away defence will right itself. 1 clean sheet in the last 5 away games though and that was fortuitous at Newcastle
The best fantasy premier league budget home defences
1. Hull
1st ranked home defence. 8 goals conceded and 6 clean sheets at home
The best home defence out of anyone in my view and without challenge the best budget defence.
2. Crystal Palace
15th ranked home defence. 14 goals conceded and 4 clean sheets at home.
Forget the ranking, it’s skewed by the Holloway period. Post Pulis its 3 clean sheets in 5 home games.
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