Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 17 –Back the men in form
Getty Images
Gameweek 16 was yet another high scoring week with an average of 54 points and a highest of 127 but after the final European group stage games and a congested December fixture list, rotation adds to your worries. But then again, how could you ever go wrong when you back the men in form?
Jamie Vardy
Ignore Jamie Vardy at your own peril right now. That’s literally all that can be said about the Englishman because by now the world knows just how good he’s become. Especially for FPL managers and for someone on an eight match scoring streak, things might just become even better. There is the underlying fact that he is overperforming based on xG alone but that stat doesn’t take into consideration just how good the bloke on the end of the chance is.
Yet, with 16 goals to his name, five ahead of his nearest competition, Vardy is on par to hit 30 and that’s at the very least. If you need more, how about the fact that they face Norwich City next who have the league’s worst defense. That means they’ve conceded 34 goals, allowed 41 shots in their last four away games and already has 128 points.
Need I say more!
Marcus Rashford
Hot streak and a goal-scorer? Marcus Rashford ticks both boxes with absolute ease and his form has certainly shown no sign of slowing down. If anything, the 22-year-old might actually find another step and that’s saying a lot considering just how good he has already been. Ten goal contributions in his last eight Premier League games, the best xG in the league and with Manchester United’s fixtures, he should be a shoo-in for any team.
They face Everton, Watford, Newcastle, Burnley, Arsenal, and Norwich in their next six fixtures and that means nothing less than a goal-fest. Especially when you consider the fact that between Everton, Arsenal, and Norwich, the trio have conceded a whooping 86 goals. That’s as many as the top five have managed and it makes young Marcus, the second most bankable strike in the league.
Richarlison
Five goals in his last six games in a fixture list that includes games against Leicester City Chelsea, Liverpool, Norwich City, and Southampton. Not the best run of fixtures and Richarlison did all that under Marco Silva’s tumultuous end to his time at Everton. Only his last game was under Big Duncan Ferguson and even then, under Big Dunc, the Brazilian looked like another man.
He flew through the eye test running till he could no longer run and then run even more. It was the first time in a long time that Richarlison’s work-rate hit that level and it saw Goodison fly into raptures. But the reason to bring him in and keep him is the fact that his next few fixtures see him play against Manchester United, Arsenal, Burnley, Newcastle and Manchester City.
Plus, at just 7.1% ownership it makes the Brazilian a differential kick.
Son Heung-Min
16 Gameweeks and Son Heung-Min has five goals and nine assists. Not exactly world class levels but it makes him one of the best players at Tottenham and that’s despite Dele Alli playing like he is Wesley Snejider’s younger brother. That has changed the course of Tottenham’s ship and if nothing else, Jose Mourinho’s sides are creating quite a few goals.
Their xG over the last three games are 2.93 (against Bournemouth), 1.48 (against Manchester United) and 2.40 (against Burnley). Son, in those three games, has contributed to four goals and that includes two assists against Bournemouth where the South-Korean’s xG was amongst the best with only Moussa Sissoko, Harry Kane and Dele Alli outdoing him.
However, what makes him even better is the fact that “Sonaldo’s” fixtures are great, not brilliant but great with the North London side playing just four top six sides till the end of February. Â
Vicente Guaita
Everyone knows just how good Crystal Palace’s fixtures are. They play just the two top six sides till the final week of March and that includes Arsenal. Manchester City are the other side but with the right second goalkeeper, even that can be avoided. But this is about the great Vincente Guaita and the man has transformed his career.
Last season, he was far from the reliable star but this season, thanks in part to Roy Hodgson, Guaita has amassed a sensational 61 points. That includes six clean sheets, 37 saves and 7 bonus points making him one of the club’s best FPL players. Yes, that’s higher than Kelly, Ward and even Wilf Zaha which shows just how well the goalkeeper has performed.
And with Burnley, Nick Pope and even Matt Ryan struggling to get points over the last few weeks Guaita – 10, 8 and 8 – has done just that and done it in style.
