The transfer window is done and dusted so we can now settle down and strap ourselves in for the run in to the end of the season. It will be interesting to see the impact, if any, of new signings from a fantasy perspective.
Here are my tips for your teams ahead of the fixtures for MW25.
13
Buy: Sergio Aguero – Forward, Manchester City, 13.5
In a weird turn of fortune, I have been right on Aguero a whopping two weeks in a row! Yes, his foolish yellow card lost you as many as eight points (if you captained him) but all in all it looks like the Aguero we know and love is back in full force. Leicester City have managed an incredible five clean sheets in their last six matches, but there is no stopping Manchester City on their day and I think they will be come Saturday.
10
Buy: Harry Kane – Forward, Tottenham, 10.0
Welcome back to your weekly Harry Kane update! He is now up to fourteen goals in his last fifteen Premier League matches and continues to be one of the most consistent options in all of fantasy. There are some tough fixtures on the horizon, but Kane is one of those players that are must starts regardless of opponent.
Sell: Wayne Rooney – Forward, Manchester United, 10.0
This may seem harsh considering he has scored five goals in his last five matches, but I know many people are hesitating on Rooney due to him burning all of his owners early in the season, and I was one of them. Now I am not saying he cannot or even will not keep up these performances but, with Chelsea and Arsenal in two of their next three matches, I would rather wait to buy until the fixtures get easier.
9
Buy: Mesut Ozil – Midfielder, Arsenal, 9.9
Dropping Mesut Ozil has been incredibly en vogue as of late, but his underlying statistics continue to impress. This week he had ten chances created (ten!), re-breaking Eriksen’s record of eight from last week. On top of his ridiculous creation rate, Ozil also had five successful crosses and five take-ons last week. While I understand some people may be shifting him out to hop on the Sanchez or Aguero hype trains, Ozil will undoubtedly finish the year as a top three midfielder.
Sell: Olivier Giroud – Forward, Arsenal, 9.1
As many predicted, Olivier Giroud’s form dropped the second Alexis Sanchez was back in the side. Since then Giroud has managed five shots on target and earned roughly zero goals or assists. If his struggles continue it is possible he could be pulled back into a positional battle with Theo Walcott who seems to perform much better alongside the talismanic Chilean.
8
Buy: Roberto Firmino – Midfielder, Liverpool, 8.0
After looking like a transfer bust for most of the season, Firmino has really started to show why Liverpool rated him so highly. With four goals, an assist, and five bonus points in his last five matches he has earned you some pretty nice fantasy returns, and he is basically earning you a free point on every goal as he starts up top for Liverpool despite being listed as a midfielder. His next two matches are against the seventeenth and twentieth ranked defences in the league.
Sell: Raheem Sterling – Midfielder, Manchester City, 8.6
After a promising start to the season, Sterling has hit the hour mark just once in his last five matches. Even when he is playing he has taken up a secondary role behind Aguero, Silva, and Yaya Toure in terms of amount of time on the ball. There is a chance he becomes more relevant with Kevin de Bruyne and Jesus Navas injured, but 8.6 is far too expensive for relevant.
7
Buy: Gylfi Sigurdsson – Midfielder, Swansea, 7.0
Sigurdsson is finally beginning to recapture his form having scored in four goals in his last five matches, earning five bonus points over that same period. Now he faces a Crystal Palace side with the worst goal differential in the league over the last five matches (-11) and the second worst defensive record over that period (-13).
Sell: Jamie Vardy – Forward, Leicester, 7.2
This is really just to caution against buying back in too early. I know he just scored two goals and that is awesome, but it was against Liverpool who have the third worst defensive record over the last five matches (12 GA). Now he is up against Manchester City (third) and Arsenal (fourth). If he puts in solid performances against those two you can buy back in with confidence in MW27.
6
Buy: Odion Ighalo – Forward, Watford, 6.4
Ighalo has been blowing hot and cold at the moment but still sits just behind Vardy with the second most fantasy points among forwards (147). If you are in a gambling mood, you could play Ighalo against Tottenham’s vaunted defence knowing that he tormented them last time out. After this tough matchup Ighalo’s schedule gets considerably lighter as he then faces Crystal Palace and Bournemouth back to back.
Sell: Gerard Deulofeu – Midfielder, Everton, 6.1
Deulofeu has lost his grip on a starting spot for Everton largely due to Aaron Lennon’s weirdly terrific form. The Spaniard has started just two of Everton’s last five matches and, with the addition of Oumar Niasse, there is yet another player set to make a claim for a place in manager Roberto Martinez’s starting eleven.
5
Buy: Michail Antonio – Midfielder, West Ham, 5.3
When Lanzini went down with injury many people got pretty doom and gloom about West Ham United players not named Dimitri Payet. Well, in stepped little seen Michael Antonio and all he has done in his last five matches is notch two goals and three assists. Up next for West Ham? Two of the three worst defenses in the league (Norwich City and Sunderland).
Sell: Eric Dier – Defender, Tottenham, 5.3
I love Dier as much as any Spurs fan, but unfortunately, he is no longer fantasy relevant. His role is to stay back at all times while Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli charge forward. Dier is still a threat from corners, but Alderweireld is the main target from set pieces. At this point Alli is nothing more than a clean sheet gamble in which case you may as well use Kevin Wimmer (4.6)
4
Buy: Cameron Borthwick-Jackson – Defender, Manchester United, 4.0
He is one of the cheapest defenders in the game, yet scored eleven points midweek! CBJ has a clear shot at playing time with the second best defence in the league and has shown he has a terrific cross on him and could continue to rack up points so long as he continues to push forward to supplement the attack. The matchups against Chelsea and Arsenal are not great but it is worth it to bring him in and start him once the fixtures are a touch more kind.
Sell: Christian Fuchs – Defender, Leicester, 4.8
I am a well renowned supporter of Fuchs and Leicester City have managed five clean sheets out of the last six, which is truly incredible! That having been said, they face Manchester City and Arsenal in their next two matches. Sit Fuchs and plug him back in starting MW27.
TEB Fantasy League Table (Top 10)
| # | Team | Manager | GW | TOT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1 | Chelsea Dagger | David Gilbert | +70 | 1,375 |
 |
2 | Money Cabaye Success | Matt Jones | +70 | 1,372 |
 |
3 | Cabaye-Bye-Bye | Matthew Freeman | +68 | 1,367 |
|
4 | fifty-fifty | Ramchandra Ram | +77 | 1,355 |
|
5 | Crystal Phallus FC | Simon Dixon | +62 | 1,353 |
|
6 | bumblastic | Raj Neha | +84 | 1,344 |
|
7 | Clunge FC | David Bailey | +92 | 1,340 |
|
8 | Wei’s Tight Shorts | Mark Bailey | +63 | 1,334 |
|
9 | Tea and Busquets | Lewis Carter | +66 | 1,333 |
|
10 | Have a bad GW Eoin! | Jonathan Bailey | =57 | 1,331 |
