GW14 Fantrax Preview
Introducing a new format for December
As the December game schedule makes decent longer-form articles basically impossible to write (at least in the way I’ve typically written them), we will have a short change of format this month. I will look at each matchup in terms of Start / Sit decisions and streamer options. Regular format content will return once the games get back into a regular pattern again.
The Gameweek
Game 1: Crystal Palace vs Liverpool
Starts: With Liverpool coming into this game as heavy favourites, it’s not at all surprising that you should be starting most of your Liverpool assets. Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are (as they are most weeks) no brainer selections. On the Palace side of the ball, really only Wilf Zaha fits into the must start category. And even then, if you don’t get a goal, you likely won’t come away with much, given his GACS reliance this year.
Streamer Options: There are definitely some good streamer options from this match on the Liverpool side of the ball. Curtis Jones is the obvious name, as he is only 25% owned and has put up consecutive good scores, as he looks to establish himself as a regular in Klopp’s team. The early fixture also gives you lots of options if he doesn’t make the team-sheet. On the Palace side, the contrarian option is to select Vicente Guaita (27% owned) and hope that he holds firm in the face of a likely barrage of shots. If you want to believe in the spirit of ‘Crystanbul’ then whichever of Jordan Ayew (38%) or Michy Batshuayi (11%) starts up front you could pick and hope for a goal or assist. But I personally would avoid most Palace players. There are better options this weekend in most leagues.
Sits: Most of the Palace team. I wouldn’t roll out anyone that gets GA points. Sure, maybe they put up a great defensive effort and get a CS and tonnes of defensive points. But it’s not likely. If you are chasing that this early in the Gameweek, you must really not trust your team! Similarly, I’m just not comfortable trusting Jeffrey Schlupp, Andros Townsend or Eberechi Eze unless I really have to. I’d also prefer to fade the Liverpool centre backs, if I had the depth to do so, as the likely combination of being not that involved and at risk of a sucker punch loss of a CS is not one I like.
Game 2: Southampton vs Manchester City
Starts: If I had to design a game of the week for attackers, it might look something like this. On the City side of the ball, you’re starting De Bruyne, Sterling, Mahrez, whichever of Jesus / Aguero start the game and Joao Cancelo without a second thought. On the Southampton side, Ings, Adams and Ward-Prowse should also continue in your lineups. City have been a more solid defensive team than we’re used to seeing this year. Southampton haven’t particularly. I would imagine this has goals in it. The otherwise dependable Southampton CBs would make this list in most fixtures but here I would prefer to look elsewhere if I can do so.
Streamer Options: It’s sparse in this game. I’d be looking at other ties where I can. There aren’t many at all on the City side of the ball. If he starts again, John Stones (38%) is someone you could consider. With him in the side, City have only conceded one Premier League goal in four games. But, as hinted above, I don’t expect CS points for either side so again I suspect there are better streaming options. Theo Walcott (66%) still looks under-owned on the Southampton side, but I imagine is picked up in most leagues. He’s usable. But he has been highly GACS dependent this year, so there is a gamble associated with starting him in a game like this.
Sits: Sit defenders, generally. I’d also be tempted to avoid any Southampton midfielders without double-barrelled surnames and Manchester City holding midfielders.
Game 3: Everton vs Arsenal
Starts: Is there a forward more undroppable than Dominic Calvert-Lewin in this years game? He’s starting. And you’d want to start Richarlison alongside him. With James Rodriguez and Allan missing from the lineup, it’s likely to be another week for Sigurdsson and he does have some value due to his set piece work. You could start him. I’d also happily start the Everton CB pairing, as Arsenal’s obscene crossing numbers offer ample opportunity to win the ball in the air. On the Arsenal side… well you probably have to start Aubameyang in most league sizes, but this is not a particularly pleasant matchup, with Everton’s makeshift back line featuring a lot of defence first names. Look how well they were able to stifle Chelsea, just a week ago.
Streamer Options: There’s a slim chance that Seamus Coleman (32%) makes it back for this game and if he does, he’s worth consideration. It’s also worth highlighting that Yerry Mina (44%) has three games in a row into double figures (though with two CS). With apologies to Arsenal fans, I’m just not recommending anyone from Arsenal until I see some signs of improvement in the anemic attack. If you’re both brave and prophetic enough to predict a significant upturn, there’d be value to be had there. I’m neither in this matchup.
Sits: Arsenal players. Everton left backs. Oh and Andre Gomes. Never get tempted by Andre Gomes.
Game 4: Newcastle vs Fulham
Starts: Newcastle are about as Jekyll and Hyde as a team can get this year. You can’t afford not to start Callum Wilson though, as he’s continuing to show us all that he’s still Premier League quality, despite his injuries. Darlow remains a value differential keeper, even if he has slowed a little from his early penalty saving heroics. On the Fulham side, Zambo Anguissa, Antonee Robinson and Ademola Lookman continue to be startable assets, particularly in good matchups, and I’d be starting them here.
Streamer Options: Ivan Cavaleiro (31%) has been in Scott Parker’s good books the last few weeks and has turned in serviceable Fantrax performances most weeks. As Mitrovic returns to fitness, he has a threat to his role, but there’s no major reason to take it away from him right now. He’s also taking penalties. Pre-season darling Ryan Fraser (26%) started a game (shock number one) and scored incredibly well (shock number two), whilst Newcastle capitulated to Leeds. Was it enough to break the lineup again this week? Who knows? But if you see his name on the team-sheet, this is another game to fire him up in your lineup. Jonjo Shelvey (56%) is also not that highly owned and in a nice matchup could probably do a job as a spot-start.
Sits: Is it Covid? Is it a muscle injury? Is it disciplinary? Whatever it is, Allan Saint-Maximin has been out of the Newcastle picture for a few games now. He’s a sit until we see him on the pitch and healthy. Similarly, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been good for Fulham, helping them to add more control into their game. But he’s not scoring particularly well for Fantrax. He’s not a start.
Game 5: Brighton vs Sheffield United
Starts: My love for Tariq Lamptey is well documented on these pages. But I can admit that he’s not managed to translate his performances onto the stats sheets at a great rate this year. It’s rarely a result of his performances, more the team struggling with defensive solidity and scoring goals. Nothing like Sheffield United coming to town to fix that. Despite low scores in his last two games, I’m also happy to put out Danny Welbeck if he starts and Pascal Gross and Solly March are always in if they’re playing. Despite his shoulder injury, Ollie McBurnie could be back this weekend. If he is, his consistency is enough to make him a start. Otherwise, I’m still steering clear of Chris Wilder’s men, even in this matchup.
Streamer Options: The game against Fulham was a decent bounce back for Leandro Trossard (71%) and if he starts, I’d start him again here. On the Sheffield United side of the ball, Oliver Burke (1%) is intriguing if McBurnie doesn’t start. The forward doesn’t threaten the goal much, however he has scored 7.5+ points in around half of the games that he has started (though blanked in many of the others).
Sits: Sheffield United players not named McBurnie sadly remain sits for Fantrax so far this season. Similarly, I don’t want much to do with any of Brighton’s central defenders (or Sheffield United’s, now that you mention it).
Game 6: Tottenham vs Leicester
Starts: The biggest tie of the weekend, and likely a cagey affair. Whatever the odds are on a Kane / Son goal combination are, it’s worth the bet. And it goes without saying that you start them. Similarly, you don’t bench Jamie Vardy, James Maddison or Harvey Barnes unless you’ve got incredible depth in your team. I also would still start Fofana and potentially whichever of the Spurs right back duo get the call, as all three of the players mentioned tend to still get good points, even if their side concede.
Streamer Options: This is a horrible tie for recommending streamers. Jose’s style concentrates Fantrax points through a few very productive players. If you are picking up anyone, you’re probably chasing a potential clean sheet. It’s not that this isn’t possible. In fact, in a game between these two, it might be the most likely outcome. It’s just not a particularly comfortable way to play Fantrax. Look elsewhere for streamers. Sure, you could hope to win the Under / Perez lottery, but I wouldn’t have them pegged as sure fire contributors this week.
Sits: I don’t have much faith in starting any Leicester central midfielders. Even the often reliable Youri Tielemans would be a sit for me, given the choice. I’d similarly steer clear of either team’s CBs (other than Fofana) unless I had no other choice. If I was ranking in order of preference, I’d go Alderweireld, Dier, Evans.
Game 7: Manchester United vs Leeds United
Starts: Is it a good thing that Manchester United found a groove yesterday? Or a bad thing that they seemingly needed Sheffield United to turn up to get them looking potent in attack? Either way, it was nice to see goal contributions from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. I’d start both again in this next matchup, a juicy one against Leeds’ gung-ho defence. Similarly, you’re not benching Bruno Fernandes and whoever accompanies him in midfield (Paul Pogba or even Donny van de Beek). Harry Maguire and Telles / Shaw are also solid plays this week. On the Leeds side, they continue to be a good source of points. Raphinha has very quickly endeared himself to the Fantrax community and is a good start here, particularly if Telles starts. Similarly, it’s not generally a good idea to bench Bamford, Klich or Phillips, with each proving themselves to be reliable assets weekly. Jack Harrison bounced back well from a barren spell (including early substitutions) in the last game. If your team is good enough to bench him, you’re in a good spot. In most league sizes, he remains a solid start this week.
Streamer Options: Seemingly bought as a replacement for Bamford, Rodrigo Moreno (67%) has instead played in support of the Englishman. It’s all been a bit stop start for him, with injuries and then Covid-19. But he’s seemingly healthy now and just put out his best score of the season. A good stream and a good stash. On the Manchester United side of the ball, the only spot that interests me hugely is that third attacker spot. We’ve seen United start a number of different formations and player configurations this year. If someone like Juan Mata (8%) is back in the lineup, he’s got good streamer potential in a matchup likely to have goals in it.
Sits: I do not like Aaron Wan-Bissaka much this week. Even those teams that have comfortably beaten Leeds (Liverpool, Chelsea) have still struggled to prevent them scoring. Though the quick pace of Leed’s attack arguably creates opportunities for defensive stats, it also creates risk. Similarly, I’m not comfortable with Luke Ayling this week either. He profiles as boom / bust in this matchup and I’d prefer to avoid the risk of a bust where I can with my defenders.
Game 8: West Brom vs Aston Villa
Starts: Sam Allardyce is back in the Premier League. Check your betting slips. Who had it down as December? With the change in manager comes a tonne of uncertainty. It’s possible that we see a new manager bounce. But at the same time, we could also see upheaval in terms of system and players selected. I’d still just about be comfortable starting Conor Gallagher. And Sam Johnstone could well be in for another busy day, which is great for the keeper stats. Everything else comes down to how much you’re willing to bet on who Sam will prefer on the West Brom side. And this is late in the Gameweek, so I’ll steer clear of most. That said, if you want to make a bet on the set piece lottery, it could have value. In previous weeks, Krovinovic, Gallagher and, most recently, Phillips have taken on the duty. On the Villa side, they look like they desperately need Ross Barkley back, though this is likely a game too early. You’re still starting Jack Grealish, who has clearly ascended to league star status this year, and Ollie Watkins still looks dangerous, though the goals have been harder to come by.
Streamer Options: Matty Cash (67%) is still shockingly underowned. Whichever player takes up that third attacker role, be it Trezeguet (57%), Bertrand Traore (21%) or Anwar El Ghazi (12%), there is value to be had there - mostly through volume. I’m certainly paying more attention to the Claret and Blue side of this derby if I’m looking to stream a player.
Sits: Most of the West Brom names. There’s just too much risk, until we get a look at what Allardyce wants. I’m also still sitting McGinn until Barkley returns. The Villa central midfield can be a points goldmine. At the moment it isn’t.
Game 9: Burnley vs Wolves
Starts: Since the return of Ben Mee, Burnley have been a considerable amount more Burnley-esque than they were to start the season. This has meant that Nick Pope and James Tarkowski have retained their starter status. Facing a tricky Wolves side, but one without a main focal point does limit their likely output a bit. But if Wolves lineup as they did midweek, with Fabio Silva central, the wily Burnley pair would be expected to have the better of that matchup. On the Wolves side, you keep starting Daniel Podence and Pedro Neto every time. Whether you can afford to bet on Traore starting really depends on your team depth. This is late in the week, so if you are making that bet, try to have a clear handcuffing strategy for who replaces him. Despite there having been a rough few weeks for Wolves wing-backs, this represents a nice “get right” fixture. Nelson Semedo should get back some of his managers trust in this tie.
Streamer Options: The left sided defender for Wolves has been a tough one to trust. If you’re looking for a streamer, it’s Ait-Nouri (14%) you want to see lined up, as Marcal has no ceiling worth speaking of. It’s not impossible that we see that here, as this profiles as a game where a more attacking option would be beneficial for Wolves. Josh Brownhill (24%) remains one of the safest streamers in the game, with his low ownership not particularly reflective of his ability to contribute. As an extra note, Owen Otasowie (2%) made his debut off the bench against Chelsea and played very well. He’s unlikely to start here but he is a name to watch.
Sits: I’m a Dwight McNeil fan. Let’s get that out the way early. But it’s fair to say that he’s not got going this year. Burnley are struggling to get him involved in the game, and with him regularly taking up positions inside, rather than outside on the left, he’s just not seen the points returns we want to see from him. Until they start coming, it’s hard to trust him. I’m also not interested in the Wolves central midfielders. If you’ve got no floor, you need to have a good ceiling to be a startable player. And Moutinho hasn’t shown enough for me this season.
Game 10: Chelsea vs West Ham
Starts: This game is horribly timed, for the amount of player fitness doubts it contains. On the Chelsea side of the ball, you’d want to start Ziyech or Pulisic anytime they start. But can you trust waiting till 7pm on Monday when the teamsheets come out? West Ham is also not an easy matchup. So in terms of who I’m confident starting Chelsea side? Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Kurt Zouma are usually good value, no matter the result. Similarly, Mason Mount and Timo Werner are tough to bench. On the West Ham side, Moyes has hinted at some rotation, which isn’t great news. Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Cresswell and Vladimir Coufal are startable almost every week and this is no exception.
Streamer Options: From reading Fantrax Twitter, I gather I have a fairly different opinion to many on the Olivier Giroud vs Tammy Abraham debate. I think Chelsea are a better side with the pressing and mobility of Abraham, so I expect him to return before too long. But I wouldn’t trust betting on who gets the start this week. Similarly, even with many taking Moyes’ post-match comments midweek to be a sign that Manuel Lanzini (6%) might get the nod, it’s not easy to trust. Try to get your streamers before Game 10 if you can.
Sits: Post-Covid-19 Kai Havertz has not looked the same. Despite not being particularly known for high energy performances, the drop off, whether coincidental or not, has been notable. If you can afford to bench him until he starts to get back into form, I’d do so. I also would probably look elsewhere from the Rice / Soucek duo, despite the opportunity for defensive points, purely because of the high yellow card risk the duo bring in this matchup. That said, both profile as safe picks if you’re been left short by team selections in early games.
That’s it. Hopefully the shift in format hasn’t been too jarring, and that this is useful. If you have specific Start / Sit questions, you can find me on Twitter or in the comments here. And good luck this gameweek!