Fantasy Football Tips for this Weekend

Welcome to the second week of our new Fantasy Football feature. This week I will rate the picks from the previous guide and tell you whether to stick with them or pick someone new. For every player I discard I will suggest their replacement.

 

Goalkeepers

 

1.Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea – KEEP

Next fixtures: Everton (H), PSG (A)

       Previous match vs. Aston Villa – Conceded 1

 

Produced a strange display against Villa. He conceded 1 goal and flapped at a few crosses. With a home match against Everton next up however, I say keep Courtois.

    

2.Joe Hart – Man City – DISCARD

Next fixtures: Stoke (A), Newcastle (H)

Previous match vs. Hull – Conceded 1

 

Man City have been in poor form lately. They have been shaky defensively and I can see them slipping up away to Stoke in Midweek. Get rid of Hart.

3.  David Ospina –Arsenal – KEEP

Next fixtures: Leicester (H), Middlesbrough (H)

Previous match vs. Tottenham – Conceded 2

 

Conceded two goals against Spurs but he could not do much about either of them. Defensive lapses caused the first goal and Harry Kane’s virtuoso header for the second was unstoppable. I expect a clean sheet at home to Leicester. Keep Ospina.

    

Defenders

 

1. Kurt Zouma – Chelsea – DISCARD (BUT KEEP AN EYE ON HIM)

Next fixtures: Everton (H), PSG (A)

Previous match vs. Aston Villa – Won 2-1 – Did not play

 

Gary Cahill was reinstated to partner John Terry at centre back versus Aston Villa. Keep an eye on Zouma as if Cahill gets injured, Zouma will surely play. Discard for now.

 

2. Nathaniel Clyne – Southampton  – KEEP

Next fixtures: Liverpool (A), Fiorentina (H)

Previous match vs. QPR – Won 1-0 – Conceded 0

 

Southampton kept a clean sheet against QPR and Clyne was rampaging down the wing as per usual. He is a definite main stay in any fantasy team. Keep Clyne.

 

3. Aaron Cresswell – West Ham – KEEP

Next fixtures: Southampton (A), West Brom (A)

Previous match vs. Man United – Drew 1-1 – Conceded 1

 

A very good performance from Cresswell against United. I predicted a low scoring game and but for United’s long ball tactics towards the end, Cresswell would have got more points for a clean sheet. Creswell stays.

 

Midfielders

 

1.Christian Eriksen – Spurs – KEEP

Next fixtures: Liverpool (A), Fiorentina (H)

Previous match vs. Arsenal – Won 2-1 – Goals 0 Assists 0

 

Spurs are on the up and with Harry Kane in such good form, Eriksen is sure to notch a fair few assists between now and the end of the season. Eriksen stays.

 

2.Coutinho – Liverpool  – KEEP

Next fixtures: Tottenham (H), Crystal Palace (A)

Previous match vs. Everton – Drew 0-0 – Goals 0 Assists 0

 

Coutinho was relatively quiet in the stalemate against Everton and was eventually replaced by Daniel Sturridge as Liverpool looked for a late goal. I am torn whether to keep Coutinho in or ship him out. With Sturridge coming back to full fitness soon, I say keep Coutinho for now.

      

3.Eden Hazard – Chelsea – KEEP

 Next fixtures: Everton (H), PSG (A)

 Previous match vs. Aston Villa – Won 2-1 – Goals 1 – Assists 0

 

A goalscoring display from the tricky Belgian against Aston Villa. Hazard is one of those players that produces the goods on a consistent basis and therefore he is a must in any team. Keep Eden.

       

Attackers

 

1.Harry Kane – Tottenham – STAR MAN

Next 3 fixtures: Liverpool (A), Fiorentina (H)

Previous match vs. Arsenal – Won 2-1 – Goals 2 – Assists 0

 

What can you say about his performance against Arsenal? Simply magnificent. Obviously Kane stays.

 

2.Daniel Sturridge – Liverpool – DISCARD (BUT KEEP AN EYE ON HIM)

Next fixtures: Tottenham (H), Crystal Palace (A)

Previous match vs. Everton – Drew 0-0 – Came on as sub – Goals 0

 

Sturridge came on as a sub versus Everton and showed some good touches. Keep a very close eye on him because sooner or later he will be back and banging them in again.

 

3.Sergio Aguero – Man City – DISCARD (BUT KEEP AN EYE ON HIM)

       Next 3 fixtures: Stoke (A), Newcastle (H)

Previous match vs. Hull – Drew 1-1 – Goals 0 Assists 0

 

Aguero’s situation is very much the same as Sturridge’s. Back from injury and he is still finding his form. City’s form without Aguero has been poor and they desperately need the Argentine start notching soon. Keep a close eye on him in the coming weeks.

 

 

New Goalkeeper pick

 

David De Gea

Next 3 Fixtures: Burnley (H), Preston (A), Swansea (A)

 

 The Spaniard has been arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premiership this season. He is attracting the attention of Real Madrid and Man United fans must be sweating over when the club will actually offer him a new contract!

Last week I indicated that picking a Man United defender in your fantasy team was not a good idea, and I continue with that view. However, De Gea is a main stay in the United team and without him, United would have conceded far more goals than they have. With a fixture at home to Burnley next up, I expect United to keep a clean sheet.

 

New Defender Pick

 

John Terry – Chelsea

Next 3 fixtures: Everton (H), PSG (A), Burnley (H)

 

An obvious pick really. With Zouma being so young, Mourinho is slowly blooding him into the first team. John Terry is Mr Chelsea and Mr Reliable as far as fantasy football goes. He is hardly ever injured and pops up with a goal every now and then. Terry is certain to score points for your fantasy team and so he would be my first choice defensive pick.

 

New Striker Picks

 

Olivier Giroud – Arsenal

Next 3 fixtures: Leicester (H), Middlesbrough (A), Crystal Palace (A)

Purely based on the coming fixtures, Giroud is very likely to notch a goal or two. Home games against Leicester and Middlesbrough should be easy wins for the Arsenal. I expect them Giroud to bag a few goals in the process. After missing much of the start of the season through injury, Giroud has been back a number of months and I feel he is just ready to get back into goalscoring form.

 

Theo Walcott – Arsenal

Next 3 fixtures: Leicester (H), Middlesbrough (A), Crystal Palace (A)

 

Depending on your fantasy league, Walcott is either a midfielder or a striker. Either way he is my striker pick for the next week.

Going on the fixtures, Walcott is likely to do well over the next few weeks. He came on in the final 10 minutes of the game against Spurs and did not make much a contribution. However, I feel now is the right time for Wenger to give Walcott some game time to build his match fitness back up. He scored in the 5-0 hammering against Aston Villa and looked like he was returning to his best.

 

There you have it, another week and another batch of players discarded. Come back next week to find out who makes the grade and who joins Balotelli on the long forgotten pile.

 

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