If you’re selling Bale tonight in fantasy premier league then the chances are you’re trying to choose between Hazard or Gerrard for gameweek32, especially if you’re going to use your Wildcard for GW33.  Here’s some analysis on the 2 players to help you choose.

Firstly here’s the basic stats:

On the basic stats given the reduced minutes played Hazard looks to have performed best in the season.  Interestingly Hazard is a far streakier player .  He’s had 7 double digit returns all at home against bottom half of the table opposition.  Gerrard has only had 3 , 2 of those at home to bottom half opposition, the other away at City. Gerrard has far more game time security starting all 31 games with a 58% return rate.  Hazard has only started 26 with a 50% return rate.  This will be a factor if youre thinking of holding him to the end of the season.

As far as underlying stats are concerned the first thing that strikes you is that Hazard plays way further up the pitch than Gerrard so is miles ahead when it comes to involvement from touches and passes in the final third and pen box touches.  However Gerrard over the season has a very similar shots in the box average to Hazard which is a surprise.  Hazard in the last 6 has pulled away by 30% on shots in the box but the difference isn’t what you expect. Gerrard over the season creates more chances although Hazard has pulled ahead in the last 6.

However Gerrard takes pens and is far more involved in set pieces.

As far as the defences for GW32 is concerned, Sunderland are one of the worst teams defensively home or away and although West Ham are capable of being thrashed away from home they arent as bad as Sunderland although over the last 10 games their overall record in underlying stats hasn’t been that different.  there is also the unknown effect that Di Canio in his first game will have on the Sunderland team as the feedback so far has been good from the team.

Summary

On pure stats whether they be actual or underlying  Hazard has the edge and plays far further forward but Gerrard has the advantage of penalties and set pieces plus a security of game time which no one in the Chelsea team let alone Hazard has.  However I feel that will start given that Mata has played Monday and Thursday, Hazard didn’t start on Thursday and if Mata is rested against Sunderland then surely the disaster that was Chelsea against Southampton before Hazard came on will mean he has to start.

I’m probably going for Hazard but its by no means certain!