Best replacements for Kevin de Bruyne in FPL?

Kevin de Bruyne will be out for up to 3 to 5 weeks and many managers are looking for a replacement for the injured superstar. In this article I will give you several recommendations as an alternative.

First off, since KdB is himself pretty pricey, I’m sure there are ways for you to top up a bit more and get Alexis Sanchez at £11.1. Why Sanchez? Well, as always Sanchez is a really explosive player and is able to convert half chances into goals when he is on form. To add on to that, Arsene Wenger is playing him as a striker. What more could you ask for? A great midfielder playing up front, he is bound to get you points either via scoring or bagging the assist. Arsenal’s next few fixtures look really enticing as they play Burnley (A), Swansea (H), Middlesbrough (H) and Sunderland (A) next. Therefore, in the next 4 gameweeks, be prepared for him to do well and look forward to his price rising!

Next, it is the Spurs midfielder Hueng-Min Son (£7.5). With Harry Kane being out for the time being, Son seems to be taking over the goal scoring opportunities whenever he plays. In the past 3 Premier League matches he has attained 47 FPL points by scoring 4 goals and providing 1 assist. At a budget price, and with Spurs having a few decent fixtures next, Son is the player to get as the other Spurs midfielders such as Eriksen and Lamela look cold.

Finally, with no European duties, Liverpool midfielders are the ones to get. Why? Firstly, they have scored a ton of goals in the season. Totalling 16 goals in 6  matches, scoring 5 goals once and 4 goals twice (one against Arsenal), they look to be unstoppable. Secondly, their next few fixtures looks to be a walk in the park, bar Manchester United in Gameweek 8.

Sadio Mane (£9.0) is the one to consider if you have the budget for him. He is explosive as well, and will take the opportunity to get himself goals. Phillipe Coutinho (£8.2) is the heart of Liverpool’s midfield right now. He is able to set up his team mates to score and is able to take his chances from outside the box. Surprisingly, he is doing way better than Firmino who is actually playing upfront. Firmino is hardworking but isn’t able to get points in FPL as of now therefore, I would stay away from him. Lastly, it is Adam Lallana. If you are looking for Liverpool coverage but have a budget issue, then he is the player to get at £7.2. Lately, he has shown that he is a player worth considering as he is involved in many of the attacks and can score as well.

Before replacing KdB, know what your plans are. If you want to bring in Aguero then a cheaper option is better than a premium player.

Written by: @FantasyFoxez

The Return of the Kun - Gameweek 6 Review

Lord of the Strikers- The Return of the Kun

Kun Aguero was back this week. If you didn’t already know, then it would be a good idea to transfer him in your team as soon as possible. This is because he is about to rise back up to 13.1 and has returned to his brilliant best after a two-game suspension. Aguero outscored all strikers this week except Jermain Defoe, which is even more reason to get Aguero (unless you want Defoe instead). Lord Aguero continues to hold a mythical status within the FPL community and the majority of experienced managers see him as a must-have captain pick every week, and with good reason. Noone has scored more Premier League goals in the last 5 seasons than Sergio Aguero.

Surprise Packages Keep on Giving

The surprise player of the season so far, along with last week’s headline grabber Etienne Capoue, has been Raheem Sterling, who has now produced 4 goals and 3 assists under Guardiola. That’s already as many assists as the entire of last season and just 2 goals less. It’s important to note however that Sterling only made 23 league appearances. This time round he is proving his potential and looks to be a certain starter throughout the season for Man City.

This could also be the season Phillipe Coutinho hits double figures for goals and assists for the first time. 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 games mean that at the current rate he will reach 18 goals and 18 assists by the end of the season, which is a lot better than 8 Gs and 10 As last season. Owners were warned in this feature after a strong gameweek one showing that he’s prone to inconsistency, but the Brazilian is proving doubters wrong with great quality in the attacking third, and not just the occasion wondergoal.

Although Coutinho will likely take the credit for Liverpool’s fine form, Adam Lallana is playing a big part in their early-season success, as a vital cog in a well-oiled machine. The winger is matching Coutinho’s goals and assists tally and is 1.0 cheaper at 7.2. Previous to his goal and two assists against Hull, including maximum bonus points, he was an unsung hero in a very threatening attacking team which has created more chances than any other team in Europe. Lallana and Coutinho are not yet proven in FPL, but they are definitely worth a gamble.

The Case For A Cheap Defence

With just 4 clean sheets out of a possible 20 two weeks in a row, it seems the majority of points are not coming from goalkeepers and defenders. Only Bournemouth, Arsenal, Southampton and Burnley kept clean sheets in gameweek 6. Arsenal and Spurs are the only premium-priced defences to have kept clean sheets in the past 2 gameweeks. However, you do get what you pay for with defenders. Kyle Walker (5.8) was the highest scoring defender in gameweek 5 and this week the most expensive defender in FPL, Hector Bellerin, proved his worth with an assist to go with his clean sheet vs Chelsea. A balance of 1 or 2 of the pricier options along with the best value cheap defenders, namely Adam Smith of Bournemouth at the moment, might be the best way to go.

Kyle Norbury,

Stoke fan and fantasy football nerd,

Follow me, Kyle on Twitter: @SCFCNerd

 

5th Birthday: Free Entry Competition & Small Survey

Rules:

Only one entry per person.

The winner will be the person who FIRST submitted the correct answer (thus only one winner).

In the unlikely event no one is able to successfully predict the correct first scorer from this Saturday's 3pm kick offs, the winner will then be based on the correct first assist from the original first goal submissions.

The winner will be announced this weekend.

The winner will receive a classic football shirt from a specific collection.

Competition/Survey:

 

 

Capoue! Cheap Mid Bang In Form- GW 5 Review

Etienne Capoue is fantasy football gold, now becoming a more viable option as a 4^th choice or even 3rd choice midfielder as a key man in Watford’s attack after a 3^rd double figure score of the season. He takes up a free role in midfield and makes forward runs into the box to good effect. It’s now 4 goals in 5 games for Capoue (4 of Watford’s 10 goals so far) who only started the season at an FPL price of 4.5. Capoue is proving clinical in front of goal, with just 1.4 shots per game. Many will now consider him as a starting player now Watford’s difficult set of opening fixtures are over and their next 5 are all games Capoue is expected to deliver in (bur, BOU, mid, swa, HUL). Get him in fast though, because his price is rising quickly.

Ibra’s Stock Falls, Lukaku’s Rises

Aguero is back in gameweek 6 at 12.9 and he may be easier to afford now with Lukaku looking a better option than Ibrahimovic. The Everton striker comes in at a much less expensive price and has scored 4 goals in two games compared with just one from Zlatan. While Ibrahimovic has hit more shots than any other player this season, Lukaku is proving to be more clinical in front of goal, with better chances to score. Lukaku scored from his only shot, whereas only one of Ibra’s 5 was on target. Everton’s next three fixtures are slightly easier than Man Utd’s, as they face Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Man City. Man Utd are up against champions Leicester and have a tough away game at Anfield between a home game v Stoke.

Those Ibra owners who transferred Lukaku in for Aguero have a dilemma to make in choosing which one to swap out for Aguero, who is seen by the majority as an essential option when fit and not suspended. It may be better to downgrade a midfielder to someone just over 1.0 less and transfer out Ibrahimovic for Aguero.

Hazard Warning Signs

For the second time in two games Eden Hazard provided 0 goals or assists. His 31% ownership will be on high alert after another blank after the Belgian's poor extended run of performances last season and will maybe be looking to get him out of their teams before he starts to fall in price. Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures don’t get easier either. After being the top scoring midfielder and considered a must-have after the first three gameweeks, maybe now he is the man to make way as managers will undoubtedly look to fit Aguero back into their teams. Big decisions are to be made this week.

Kyle Norbury,

Stoke fan and fantasy football nerd,

Follow me, Kyle on Twitter: @SCFCNerd