The Fantasy Premier League season so far has been utterly outlandish.
The level to which our big attacking stars have faltered borders on the unfathomable, while the unrivalled success of the league's middle class has left us scratching our heads. The uprising we’re currently experiencing in fantasy football provides a sample of what Paris in the late 18th century must have been like for those living in the midst of the French Revolution.
The absolute monarchy that is Sergio Aguero and his captain’s armband are close to being usurped, the midfield nobility of Alexis Sanchez and Eden Hazard are giving us nothing to work with, while the Ancien Régime of Chelsea’s defence is on its knees, with plummeting ownership and not a single clean sheet within Mourinho’s ranks to date.
All of a sudden, there’s an air of Maximilien Robespierre about Riyad Mahrez. The Leicester man has woken every fantasy manager up to the reality that we can now look towards the league’s bourgeoise for genuine captain material. When the dust settles on this period, identifying the Napoleonic figures will prove pivotal to team value and success in mini-leagues.
However, with just one home fixture in the next four games for Leicester and that fixture being Arsenal, the schedule gets in the way of Mahrez’s imminent rise to power. Instead, the likely short-term candidate for captain consideration outside of the traditional heavy-hitters is Bafetimbi Gomis. Home to Everton this week is surely a window of opportunity but, when Stoke come to Swansea in two weeks’ time, we’ve got a gameweek that provides the chance to take the armband from a Man City goalscorer and embrace this coup d’état.
In the shorter term, Callum Wilson gives us another means of boycotting the premium-priced captain options. Bournemouth host Sunderland and Watford in the next three. Both of those fixtures would give us a welcome release from a pandemic known as ‘Sergio Aguero over-reliance’ as the Premier League’s newest poacher looks just as likely (if not more likely on current form) to find the net in those Gameweeks.
As well as Mahrez, we’ve got Dimitri Payet, Ross Barkley, Jamie Vardy and a host of other attackers waiting in the wings for their fixture lists to come round. Should the season continue on its current trajectory, they’ll be vital cogs in the next phase of the revolution.
But, before we condemn our fantasy royalty to the same fate as Louis XVI, it must be pointed out that consistency has begun to emerge in certain areas of the heavy-hitting ranks. Man City’s watertight defence is the flagship example here, with not a single goal conceded yet this season. Arsenal are following the trend - they’ve recorded three consecutive clean sheets.
It makes you think that it’s a matter of time before their forwards follow suit. The defensive structure and fluidity is bound to filter through to the forwards at some point, isn’t it?
Perhaps this is analysis via heart rather than head, but it is extremely hard not to go with your gut when you look at a fit Sergio Aguero playing a home match against West Ham this week. It’s extremely hard not to go with your gut when you look at Christian Benteke getting ready to welcome the Norwich defence to Anfield. It’s also extremely hard not to go with your gut when you look at Alexis Sanchez and the possibility he might just have some joy against Chelsea’s defence tomorrow lunchtime.
Bafetimbi Gomis and Callum Wilson sit there with enticing home fixtures this week and, statistically, should be drawing thousands of transfers in as well as captain selections. In reality, the heavy-hitters will, once again, take most of the captain choices. Deep down, we’re all secretly hoping the old guard survives this tumultuous phase.
Everton's Steven Naismith was the highest scorer in Gameweek 5 after his hat trick against Chelsea. Picture by: Dave Thompson / PA Wire/Press Association Images
Gameweek 6
Needless to say, with West Ham rolling up to the Etihad this weekend, don’t sweat on your City assets even if they have misfired (i.e. got injured and taken off before half-time last week... Aguero). If you’ve got the luxury of a few bob to spend on your defence, get yourself on the Aleksandar Kolarov bandwagon. At 5.9, he’s still a steal. The dude is still attacking like a maniac and still a fixture of that rock solid Man City defence.
Daryl Janmaat is one of the more interesting defensive prospects this week. No forward attempted more shots than him last week which is an incredible statistic, particularly as he’s part of the Newcastle side that host Watford this week. While he is a little pricey at 4.9, he has an excellent chance of at least clean sheet points this week.
The Johnny Evans tip last week turned out to be a successful one and it’s worth considering starting him away to Aston Villa this weekend. However, Villa themselves look the better shout for a clean sheet, particularly if Tactics Tim has been whipping the side into shape after last Sunday’s collapse. Micah Richards is still the defender of choice in that team considering his more expensive counterparts have offered literally nothing to warrant their loftier cost prices.
Philippe Coutinho and Christian Benteke both look like excellent options this week. Norwich at home for Brendan Rodgers’ side is arguably the best fixture of any of the ‘top six’ clubs this week and one of them will have to pick up the Luis Suarez tradition of single-handedly battering the Canaries, right?
By the way, Liverpool host Aston Villa at home next week. Prime time to purchase Anfield assets, folks.
I can’t believe I’m about to write this, but Harry Kane comes into our thinking this week. Sure, he hasn’t done a single thing this season, but that has largely been down to the side’s collective lack of rhythm. They seemed to regenerate some of that swagger in the Europa League last night and Kane was rested. It could be a cocktail made in heaven.
However, is it advisable to purchase Kane if don’t have him? Well, no. He still seems overpriced at 9.4. But do keep him for this week - and start him - if you already have him in your squad. But if Son Heung-Min gets decent minutes this week, make sure to keep some notes. At 8.0, he’s a real alternative to Kane if he gets the game time.
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