FPL Week 30 – Fantasy Premier League Preview – The Own Goal

Following on from our semi popular Premier League predictions, we offer our weekly EPL Fantasy preview – The Own Goal FPL Week 30.

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 much football it’s hard to keep up, and here is our best effort.

So enjoy The Own Goal FPL Week 30 preview. 

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

FPL Week 30 – WHO’S HOT

Here’s a quick rundown of who is catching the eye from the midweek and beyond.

ROMELU LUKAKU – Form 7.0 – Total 104pts

Has scored three braces in his last three games – one in the Champions League surprise against PSG. Not sure what has turned it around, but if you got in two weeks ago you’d have an extra 24 points. A frightening prospect having a firing Lukaku added to the much improved Man Utd.

WILFIRED ZAHA (Crystal Palace) – Form 8.0 – Total 99pts

Five goals in his last five games, and the massively talented Zaha is finally giving some return for the investment. Spent the first half of the season being fouled, but the arrival of Michy Batshuayi has helped him get back among the goals, and points. And Crystal Palace wins.

LIVERPOOL DEFENCE

The front three may not be firing on all cylinders, but the back is tight. Four clean sheets in a row, and all the defenders scored massive against Watford. Time to double up at a minimum.

HARRY KANE (Spurs)

Back from injury and losing good again. Scored two goals in three weeks. Despite Spurs having a poor run of results.

FPL Week 30 – WHO’S NOT

CARDIFF

Have tried hard this season, but a three game losing streak at this stage of the season hurts the momentum of fighting relegation, and makes it hard to find a player for FPL.

BIG SCORING MAN CITY

A bit harsh, but with their star quality we’re expecting more than a pair of 1-0 wins against Bournemouth and West Ham. Where are the 6-0 thrashings which makes taking Man City players easier to live with.

FPL WEEK 30 – QUICK STAT

Barely Interesting Fact: The player involved in this game with the best scoring strike rate against Brighton, is Brighton’s striker Glenn Murray, who scored 5 goals and 2 assists in 5 games in a previous life with Crystal Palace. Interestingly, Zaha has almost as good a record of 5 goals and 2 assists in 9 games. Imagine them together.

FPL Week 30 – Week 31 Considerations

With a load of teams missing from Week 31, it may be time to start planning. We pick a handful of players from those teams who re worth considering. The players at big clubs Liverpool and Chelsea are obvious, so we go down the table a bit.

JAMES MADDISON (Leicester) Value 6.7 – Form 3.0 – Total 97pts

One of the best young players of the season, he has shown signs of some of coming back to his best in recent weeks. You’ll have to overlook the one assist from his last six games and take him on faith.

Next 3 matches – Fulham H, Burnley A, Bournemouth H

YOURI TIELEMANS (Leicester) Value 6.0 – Form 3.3 – Total 13pts

The on loan Monaco midfielder is hitting his straps, with two assists in two weeks, as Leicester move to the Brendan Rodgers era. Leicester have a nice easy run over the next five games.

Next 3 matches – Fulham H, Burnley A, Bournemouth H

ASHLEY BARNES (Burnley) Value 5.7 – Form 6.4 – Total 94pts

Scored last weekend despite Burnley going down to Crystal Palace, which made it an excellent five goals and one assist in six games. His goals have been at the heart of Burnley’s charge away from relegation. Burnley are at home to Leicester in FPL Week 31, but Liverpool this weekend. So wait a week.

Next 3 matches – Liverpool A, Leicester H, Wolves H

MIGUEL ALMIRON (Newcastle) Value 6.0 – Form 2.3 – Total 9pts

We’re going to continue pushing the claims of the former US MLS player of the year until he produces the truckload of points he looks like he’s capable of. 

Next 3 matches – Everton H, Bournemouth A,  Arsenal A

DAVID BROOKS (Bournemouth) Value 5.0 – Form 0.5  Total 94pts

Back from injury and played some good minutes last weekend without scoring much. Has been one of the purchases of the year, certainly the best one or two graduates from the Championship in this season’s Premier League. Was scoring plenty O points before his enforced lay off. Has the occasional big scoring week, and fixtures don’t look too bad, two games at home help, as Bournemouth are dreadful away from home.

Next 3 matches – Huddersfield A, Newcastle H, Leicester A

JOSH KING (Bournemouth) Value 6.5 – Form 2.8   Total 108pts

Josh King scored three games ago and six games ago, which pattern dictates he scores this weekend. Josh King has taken over at the front of Bournemouth’s attack. But like the team is better at home than away. Prior to last weekend, King had scored in three consecutive home games. Just one home game in the next three worries for consistency.

Next 3 matches – Huddersfield A, Newcastle H, Leicester A

ROBERT SNODGRASS (West Ham) Value 5.0 – Form 4.0  Total 75pts

We think highly of Robert Snodgrass, having included him in our team recently, and he did well against Newcastle at home last weekend. At his best is an assist machine, with the odd cheeky goal. Two assists in three weeks has him in the right direction to be back to his best. The upcoming three fixtures look good too.

Next 3 matches – Cardiff A, Huddersfield H, Everton H

DECLAN RICE (West Ham) Value 4.6 – Form 5.3   Total 79pts

Of course one week before we had planned to bring him into our team he scores and just his second of the year. He is a very good, and England has seen the potential and have persuaded him to join the English side from the Irish. A worry is that the West Ham defence isn’t great, they have just five clean sheets for the year. That means if the industrious Rice doesn’t score the goals there’s less chance of points. In saying that, West Ham have kept a clean sheet in seven games if you discount last weekend.

Next 3 matches – Cardiff A, Huddersfield H, Everton H

GYLFI SIGURDSSON (Everton)  Value 7.2 – Form 5.5  Total 138pts

Followers of Gylfi cashed in a few weeks ago with a two goal haul against Cardiff, but that big haul only happens every four to five matches. Still, he is quality, and Everton are showing a bit of backbone lately. Although their Week 31 clash against Chelsea is a turn off.

You could also take Richarlisson, however his second half season slump makes him less reliable. His value of 6.5 might tempt a few.

Next 3 matches – Newcastle A, Chelsea H, West Ham A

ALEXSANDR MITROVIC / RYAN SESSEGNON / TOM CAIRNEY (Fulham) 

All these players are on in Week 31, and are the only three Fulham ever worth considering in our opinion. Yes, they are playing in Week 31, but they are playing Liverpool. That of course doesn’t pre-determined them to a big defeat, but it does make it hard to see any of them scoring points. And their run after that doesn’t get better with Man City, Watford, Everton.

But new manager Scott Parker saw them to a fair result and good performance against Chelsea in Week 29, so maybe there is the danger of the new manager bounce. Mitrovic might not be a bad choice for a backup striker.

Leicester A, Liverpool H, Man City H

FPL Week 30 – HEAD to HEAD – SALAH or HAZARD

With very few big names playing in the Week 31, we put two of the biggest names head to head for your consideration for this week, next week and beyond.

Winner –  Salah wins 3-2

FPL Week 30 – CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

Who do you captain this week? Here’s the quick rundown on who may be best.

Our choice – Mo Salah. A goal and an assist in his only game v Burnley, and he is due. Aguero looks good too.

FPL Week 30 – 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 30 STATS AND STUFF

Here’s some slightly useful information about upcoming games for each team. We have a table showing the split between top and bottom 6 teams, and the sweet middle for each teams next six weeks.

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, and using a calculation of current form.

With thanks to Transfermarkt for and WhoScored most of the above stats.