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Up The Tweets! | Fantasy EPL

In Up The Tweets on September 24, 2012 at 5:17 pm

All new Up The Tweets! touches on Fantasy EPL implications of owning Arsenal’s defense, rating the Manchester City forwards and find inexpensive midfielder who create chances and see the pitch.

The man who would win “Best Mustache” amongst all our followers asks about Vermaelen and Arsenal’s slated fixtures:

We’re not opposed to owning Arsenal’s defense, but we’re uncomfortable investing the £7.1m necessary to select Thomas Vermaelen. Arsenal still face Chelsea September 29, but their schedule is considerably easier for the following three gameweeks in which they face: West Ham (a), West Brom (h) and QPR (a). Gibbs (£5.7m), Mertesacker (£5.1m) and Jenkinson (£4.9m) have each played the full 450′ this term in the Barclays Premier League and any of the three present substantial value over their Captain. The return of Laurent Koscielny is sure to raise questions over starting places — Bacary Sagna is also returning from a long injury lay0ff — but we feel that Gibbs place, at least, is assured. If you selected Gibbs over Vermaelen you’re receiving the same defensive potential but you are saving £1.4m that can best be used elsewhere.

We like Ji-Sung Park the most of that quartet. Using the brilliant EPLIndex, we can see via Opta stats that Park is the most creative of the four. Park has created 12 chances through five weeks of BPL action. Fantasy EPL managers should be aware that the QPR midfielder has created as many chances as Samir Nasri, Yaya Toure and Steve Pienaar. He is priced £5.7m and selected in 2.7% of Fantasy Premier League sides while Morrison is priced slightly higher, £6.0m, and owned in slightly fewer, 1.7%, of FPL leagues. Based on chances created, the remaining three are rated Morrison (9), Gaston Ramirez (6) and Garcia. We do not advocate owning deep-lying defensive midfielders and Javi Garcia certainly fits that mould.

Fletcher is a marksman among snipers. An asp among vipers. A very proficient forward when presented few chances. Dare we say: a Poacher?.   The question of Carlos Tevez was raised many times, frequently in the context of Kun Aguero’s return. We do continue to like both of Mancini’s first choice forwards — yes, we’re considering Tevez/Aguero the first-choice pairing despite RM’s decision to start gameweek 5 with Aguero/Dzeko. Tevez has created six chances and recorded two assists — we’re using Opta stats here, in Fantasy Premier League Tevez is credited with four assists. Tevez also presents salary savins over Aguero as his price remains £9.9m despite 50.1% selection in FPL. Fantasy EPL managers are overwhelmingly selecting Tevez. Kun can provide fantasy EPL manager’s value based on his low ownership, 5.6%, but his £11m cost will mean you will need to find a low-cost alternative for your third forward. Forwards like Lambert, Lukaku, Berbatov and Fletcher all provide exceptional value over the coming weeks.

We pointed out in another Twitter exchange that selling RvP for a less expensive option like Berbatov, Defoeor Lambert

You can leave it on, mate. I’ll be taking your spot.

would allow for enough funds to upgrade TWO other positions substantially.  Van Persie’s £13.5m has not stopped many fantasy EPL managers from investing and he is owned in 32.3% of Fantasy Premier League teams. There is no question that he is the best player in fantasy EPL, able to create chances (92 in 2011-12 with Arsenal), score with either foot and professionally finish penalties. We do not think that Wayne Rooney will assume penalty duties upon his return. While it is certainly possible that there will be instances where the England man makes a play for the spot kick, but we still believe that van Perise is the most valuable of the Man Utd strikers. In fact, Rooney returning will likely create a selection problem in midfield (not among the forwards) as Rooney can be deployed as a second-striker behind RvP. However, selling RvP can allow you to purchase players like Leighton Baines (Top in BPL with 24 chances created), Santi Cazorla (second in BPL with 20 chances created) and Gareth Bale (joint third w/ 15, Lennon) without sacrificing class elsewhere. The decision is yours. We’ve hedged: the FantasyGaffer Official team contains RvP but Cooper’s private side starts Berbatov/Ba/Tevez in the attack at the moment.

As we wear out our elbow with self-congratulation for a raft of prescient Fantasy EPL analysis prior to gameweek 5, please turn your attention to @FantasyGaffer, email fantasygaffer@gmail.com and check back to the site for updates every weekday. And do remember –  it is always our fault when you’ve made the poor choice and followed free advice!


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