Fantasy Premier League 2020/21 – Five players to lookout for ahead of Gameweek 7
After the highs of the Gameweek 5 where nearly everyone brought in the big bucks, Gameweek 6 knocked us back to earth with an average of just 48 points. It seems things didn’t go well for many many many managers although, with a decent set of fixtures, the hope is that it changes this week.
Last Minute heroes
Son Heung-Min
Eight goals, two assists and suddenly Son Heung-Min has become the most sought after player in this season’s Fantasy Premier League. The South Korean has been downright fantastic and he might just be a captain option with him finishing the last five game-weeks with four double-figure hauls. His teammate in the form of Harry Kane is also a great option but this is about Son.
The forward is in fine form and only five players have created more shot-creating actions than him but what is more important is that he has the second-best shots on target percentage. That is of players who have managed to take 8 or more shots with the South Korean putting 10 out of his 14 attempts at the keeper or in the net. It has been a sensational display of offensive football from him and it has seen his ownership shoot up.
Now that’s a given and even then tell you to bring in the Premier League’s leading goalscorer, the FPL’s top scorer and points getter, seems a little redundant doesn’t it?
Sadio Mane
Now in the Son part of this article, the South Korean ranked below only five players to have created the most shot-creating actions so far this season. Sadio Mane is the third player on that list with him averaging 6.15 SCA (shot-creating actions) per 90 and while the Reds have a tough-ish fixture list, Mane is still the man to get. He has quietly gone about picking up points and scoring goals with him netting four and assist two more.
That includes his two assists at Sheffield United last week with the Senegalese in form and what does bode well for the FPL managers out there is the mid-week games. Since blanking against Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United, Mane has managed to either score or assist (via an FPL metric) in his last four games and that bodes well for managers. Not only that, only Dominic Calvert-Lewin has a better non-penalty xG with Mane at 4.03 although many will say that Mohamed Salah creates more.
But from a pure goal-scoring perspective, Sadio Mane has passed the eye test with flying colours and been far more efficient than his superstar partner. The former Saints man, alongside his forward partners in Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, started off the bench in the Champions League which means the likelihood of him starting is pretty high.
The punt
Wilfried Zaha
And we come to the weird picks, starting off with Crystal Palace man Wilfried Zaha and guess what, the Ivorian looks like he has finally become a reliable FPL asset. He is one often placed under the tag of “mercurial” and “frustrating” rather than one that he has shown he can become this season. Shockingly and much to the surprise of many, Zaha is now the third-highest scoring midfielder behind only Mohamed Salah.
That’s more than James Rodriguez (£8.0m), Jack Grealish (£7.3m), Sadio Mane (£12.0m), Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) and even superstar Marcus Rashford (£9.5m). Now a quick look at Zaha’s FPL history and it does show a rather erratic but a player with genuine talent. The midfielder managed 21 goal contributions in the 2018/19 season but then had a massive drop off with just 10 last year. But, in just six games so far, Zaha has already scored more goals than he managed the entirety of last season.
It does seem that the transfer saga that took place before the start of last season affected the Ivorian but this time around he looks fresh, firing and ready to kill. That does bode well for FPL managers especially since barring an injury, Zaha is about as locked on as it gets. Combine that with his very affordable £7.3m price tag and you get a decent shout. He’s still a punt but a decent shout out at becoming something more.
Che Adams
Things are finally happening Che Adams and after his struggles last season, saw many a manager frustrated with the Southampton striker. But after scoring nothing in his first twenty-four, the young striker has netted six goals in his last twelve Premier League appearances which bodes really well for FPL managers. It’s been great to watch and for those managers who’ve kept the faith in his underlying numbers, good on you.
For the others? Well here is your chance to make it right because Adams is posting stats that are eerily similar to those of Danny Ings. It seems that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s preferred strike pair have finally clicked although while Ings is a very lethal finisher, Adams has tended to play that more number 10-ish role and it is working for him. He faces an Everton side ravaged by injuries and suspensions next and that bodes well for him.
The Ones to Drop
Riyad Mahrez
Things haven’t been going great for Manchester City although that’s more down to their inconsistencies but the bigger problem is for Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian was touted for big things, in an FPL way, at the start of the season but six Gameweeks in and nothing has worked out for him. He has managed one goal and one assist despite starting the last four games. To make it even worse, both his goal contributions so far came in his first start of the season vs former side Leicester City.
Nothing since then and priced at a rather steep £8.4m, the Algerian isn’t worth the bargain now even though in Pep Guardiola’s weird strikerless formation, things are working out for them. Mahrez needs to find that moment of magic, his form again before he even warrants a pick-up by anyone and it looks like he may need a little more time to get his mojo back.
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