FPL Week 22 Preview – The Own Goal – EPL Fantasy

Following on from our semi popular Premier League predictions, we introduce our weekly EPL Fantasy preview – The Own Goal FPL Week 22.

Each week we’ll attempt to give a quick round up of some of the points of interest in Fantasy Premier League.

We used to do a podcast through our Fantasy United team, but who’s got time for that these days.

So enjoy The Own Goal FPL Week 22 preview.

Or cut out the middle man and go straight to the official FPL website here.

Disclaimer: We are Ipswich Town fans, so have no prejudice against any side in this division. Or the next, come August 2019.

FPL WEEK 21 – PEACH OF THE WEEK

Son (Spurs) – the point scoring machine keep racking them up before he heads out for a break in the UAE for the Asian Cup. 

Manchester United for continuing to win and score.

Crystal Palace for continuing to surprise on the road.

Bournemouth and Watford for sharing the love and points in a 3-3 draw. As long as you don’t have their defenders that is.

FPL WEEK 21 – DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE ROUND

Chelsea failing to cash in against Southampton. Many, including this author, were expecting Chelsea to take apart Southampton, but credit to their recent revival and getting a 0-0 draw.

Wolves for being so good against good sides and much less so against the lower opposition.

FPL WEEK 22 – THE BIG QUESTIONS

With Son heading off for the Asian Cup, will that mean that already in form Eriksen, will get even more responsibility and room to score big.

Will the Manchester United (and Paul Pogba) juggernaut continue now they have to play a better side.

Can you afford to double up (or triple up) of Liverpool defence? Brighton have scored in every home match this year, and have played all the big team except Man City and Liverpool.

How many Chelsea players can you cram into your team. They have a very good recent record against Newcastle. The last 5 games has seen 5 wins at 15-2.

Any room for Jesus at the table? They may have only played Burton in the League Cup, but anytime a striker scores four goals it means he’s ready to do it anytime. That could put Aguero concrete plans in jeopardy. 

FPL WEEK 22 – RISKY BUSINESS

We do like taking a risk in FPL, hence our lowly position in the overall FPL standings, but sometimes they pay off, and we’d hate not to share….

IN – NATHAN REDMOND (Southampton) – scored two in the FA Cup against a strong Derby County, and has recent FPL form of a decent 5.8. At a cost of 5.2M and a run of just Arsenal away in the next seven fixtures, he could be a great cheapie. You’d only be joining 1.0% of FPL players.

IN – KEVIN de BRUYNE (Man City) – how long do you wait to bring him in? You know he’s going to score when he returns and stays fit. 3.6% already have him. Only the timing/injury is the risk.

OUT – MARCOS ALONSO (Chelsea) – remains the most expensive defensive option, but hasn’t been scoring as much as usual. 3.4 points on average for his last 9 games. Still has the most points and 13 in his last two, but a few hard games coming up, and perhaps you could save a million plus and spend it elsewhere,

FPL WEEK 22 – CAPTAIN? MY CAPTAIN?

Harry Kane is usually a good shout, but he has a less than stellar record against Man Utd. Just 2 goals and 1 assist in 9 matches – easily the worst record against all other EPL teams.

On the other hand Eden Hazard has enjoyed some good days out against Newcastle, and is a better prospect at home. 6 goals in 5 games v Newcastle at home, and Chelsea have won the last five games by 15-2.

Mo Salah is of course in the frame, he has 2 goals and 2 assists against Brighton in 3 games, but the Seagulls have been hard to beat on the South Coast this year. Two losses only to Chelsea and Spurs (2-1).

Paul Pogba has been great lately for those enjoying the post-Jose revival, but he is a doubt according to the FPL website, and they are away to Spurs.

There’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who is playing West Ham, but that’s away, and a stretch, but a differential.

We suggest: Eden Hazard

FPL – FUTURE TRANSFERS

Time to keep one eye on the current players in the EPL, and the other eye on potential transfers during the January window. We’ll go for the potential January market moves that we think are interesting and ones we are watching and/or waiting for.

Gonzalo Higuain to Chelsea – Chelsea need a striker who scores goals funnily enough. Or at least doesn’t get in the way of Hazard. Higuain is a big name, and did very well with Sarri at Napoli, and at Juve. Less so in his loan at AC Milan and has been off the boil since being sent off against Juve. He is a risk that he won’t adapt to the EPL like Morata, or he will be too slow. But at his best a brilliant forward.

Callum Wilson to Chelsea – has been smashing in the goals for Bournemouth, but has had some great service from Ryan Fraser this season. Will he be able to make the big step up to a big team? That’s a risk, but you won’t get a proven goal scorer at Chelsea for his price ever again. If it happens. Bournemouth hiring Solanke from Liverpool shows they might be preparing for it.

Toby Alderweireld to Manchester United – Has been talked about for some time, and he would suit them and fix one of their problem areas. If fit, you can’t see him being moved out of the side very regularly either. 

Denis Suarez to Arsenal – fresh from Barcelona and could inject some real quality into Arsenal’s side.

Miguel Almiron to Newcastle – a star in the MLS in the USA, and could be a really good cheapie if the move happens in January. Given Newcastle’s struggles down the bottom of the table, and scoring goals he’ll get plenty of game time. 13 Goals – 11 assists in the MLS for the Champions is a good return.

Alvaro Morata out of Chelsea – one would think this will happen in January – the benefit being that Hazard doesn’t score when he plays.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek looking for a loan – a quality midfielder who would be a bargain buy if he could get to a club where he will get game time. An improving Crystal Palace would be good.

NEXT MANAGER OUT

Given the bump in form that each side gets from a new manager, it’s always good to keep an eye on who may be next.

Claude Puel is the favourite for the next chop, and given his team are still winning games (although not against fourth division sides) and full of quality, they may well be worth jumping on.

Next up are Huddersfield and Newcastle, and who knows, Benitez may well go to Leicester if he gets bored of the Old Mother Hubbard situation at Newcastle and Puel is fired.

More and better information available at the excellent Sack Race website – next EPL manager sacked.

FPL Week 22 – OUR TEAM

You can’t give off tips without putting your money where your mouth is, so our team details are here for your information. Feel free to pick our team apart at your leisure.

FPL – Electric Higuita Exp

FPL WEEK 22 STATS AND STUFF

Here’s some slightly useful information about upcoming games for each team. Who has the most games against the current Top 6 and Bottom 6. Following on from that, we have designed a measure to rank each team’s next 6 games in difficulty. Using opposition ranking, points, factoring in home and away fixtures.

So looking at the upcoming fixtures Spurs have a good run with three bottom six teams and four at home like no other team. Liverpool by contrast have a run against the midfield. The hardest run (according to our new measure is Huddersfield, who have three matches against top six opposition.