We are assuming that Everton will not make any major additions now that they’ve completed the permanent transfer of Steve Pienaar. The addition of Pienaar, departure of Cahill and general stability of the Everton squad, always the hallmark of David Moyes sensible approach, provide some of the most predicable outcomes for fantasy premier league managers.
At the back is the ever present Tim Howard. The American goalkeeper hasn’t missed a match in six season. He improved his clean sheets to 12 last year, and they allowed just 15 goals at home. Howard is a touch expensive for a home only starter, but the reality is that he is priced £5.5m, the same price as Swansea’s Michel Vorm. While Vorm has been selected by 17.5% of fantasy premier league managers, only 5.4% have picked Howard. Over the opening 13 matches, Howard faces six home, seven away, with the home fixtures including visits from Manchester United, Newcastle and Liverpool. However, if you’re comfortable selecting Vorm, you shouldn’t have any qualms with picking Moyes’ #1.
Playing just ahead of Howard will be the backline of Baines, Heitinga, Jagielka, and someone…it doesn’t particularly matter for our purposes, as the three listed here will be those selected by fantasy premier league mangers. This is because it may be Seamus Coleman back on the left. Rated a midfielder, his chance at playing out of position to the back decreases his value despite 19 chances created and 50 dribbles attempted (both more in line with an attacking wing-back than a midfielder). Leighton Baines did lead Everton with 67 chances created, 45 from open play and 22 from set pieces. With Cahill departed, it remains to be seen if he can recapture his assist form with Jelavic. Priced £7m, Baines is one of few defensive options guaranteed to be involved in the attack. There are enough discount options available elsewhere that he remains a solid buy.
Steve Pienaar is in the fold now, and expecting to be back in the friendly schedules in a bid for fitness before the season starts:
”I’ve missed out maybe one or two weeks of training so it’s going to be very hard. But you have to go through the pain to be fit and I’ll have to push myself to make sure at the start of the season I am fully fit.”
Pienaar posted 4 goals, 7 assists in 1254′ last season. Obviously, over a full season those numbers project at nearly triple, and it is more than unrealistic to think that a 12 goal, 21 assist season is on the way. However, Pienaar spent his minutes on the field wisely, Opta Stats have 4 goals, 6 assists, from 23 shots (9 on target), creating 32 chances, with 25 of those coming from open play. Those numbers were among the team leaders, with the 32 chances and 6 assists both topping the charts for Everton. With a full season ahead of him, and the addition of Jelavic providing a legitimate threat up front, Pienaar should be able to build upon last seasons numbers. He is priced £6.5m and owned in only 5.4% of sides, but we expect that number to rise substantially once he is proved fully fit. The other midfield option worth owning is Leon Osman. Osman led Everton in shots last season with 62, shots on target 25 and shots blocked 19. He created 39 chances, 32 from open play, and attempted 40 dribbles.
Similarly, Jelavic will have a full season to build on his 9 goals last term. Those 9 goals came in under 1000′, and again no one is suggesting a 30 goal campaign for the Blues hitman. However, like Pienaar he provides excellent value just under the top tier, an £8.5m price tag has dissuaded a few but 9.5% selection is notable. None of the rest of the forwards at Moyes disposal provide the same level of explosive potential and fantasy premier league managers haven’t seen fit to include any in many sides. No other forward commands better than 0.5% selection and it will take an injury to Jelavic to change that.
AUG. 10 UPDATE: Steven Naismith hit a first-half hattrick in Tony Hibbert’s testimonial match against AEK. Naismith has previously linked up with Jelavic at Rangers. We’ve noted that Everton does not employ a 4-4-2 with the goal of increased scoring by forwards. At the end of the season it is reasonable to think one of Jelavic or Naismith will have 10 plus goals, but it is unreasonable to think both will. Naismith is 0.9% selected and priced £6.5m. Jelavic £8.5m and 9.8% selected. Worth nothing that Jelavic had success at the Euro’s while Naismith’s goals came in a testimonial. Last season Jelavic hit nine, the next highest goal tally was five (Osman, Anichebe). They year before it was Cahill (9), Beckford (8) and Saha (7). In 2009-10 it was Saha (13) and Cahill (8) with Bilyaletdinov and Arteta (6).
AUG 10 UPDATE: David Moyes has called for patience with regard to Naismith, notes recent injury history:
Naismith, who joined the Blues on a free transfer in July, made his first run-out at the stadium and put AEK Athens to the sword with a clinical display of finishing.
Despite that, Moyes says he will bide his time with the striker, who is still working his way back to fitness following a nine-month spell on the sidelines with a cruciate knee ligament injury.
Buying: Howard, Baines, Osman, Pienaar, Jelavic
Scouting: Heitinga; Vellios, Naismith
Selling: Fellaini. Rodwell,Anichebe
20 Aug 20:00 |
Gameweek 1 |
Man Utd (H) |
25 Aug 15:00 |
Gameweek 2 |
Aston Villa (A) |
01 Sep 15:00 |
Gameweek 3 |
West Brom (A) |
17 Sep 20:00 |
Gameweek 4 |
Newcastle (H) |
22 Sep 12:45 |
Gameweek 5 |
Swansea (A) |
29 Sep 15:00 |
Gameweek 6 |
Southampton (H) |
06 Oct 15:00 |
Gameweek 7 |
Wigan (A) |
21 Oct 16:00 |
Gameweek 8 |
QPR (A) |
27 Oct 12:45 |
Gameweek 9 |
Liverpool (H) |
03 Nov 15:00 |
Gameweek 10 |
Fulham (A) |
10 Nov 15:00 |
Gameweek 11 |
Sunderland (H) |
17 Nov 15:00 |
Gameweek 12 |
Reading (A) |
24 Nov 15:00 |
Gameweek 13 |
Norwich (H) |