Unfortunately there are many different websites who offer the fantasy football service and in consequence have variations on prices and rules, therefore I will base my tips around just one of these websites. I make a team on most sites I can, purely because you can never get bored of fantasising over your best premier league team, but the site I shall base my predictions around is *drum roll* fantasy.premierleague.com. This is down to a few factors: 1) I believe it is the most popular 2) You get four substitutes, which makes each week really interesting selection wise. 3) It also includes a system which allows player values to fluctuate as the popularity of a player increases/decreases.
Things to note before I begin: £100m spread across 15 players: 2 Goalkeepers, 5 Defenders, 5 Midfielders, 3 Strikers. It seems obvious, but I will always try to pick players who will definitely start each week and also last beyond 60 minutes of the game to guarantee 2 points at the very least. Also I will look to pick my 'dead certs' first and then build around those players with my remaining budget. Without further a do, I shall commence.
The Goalkeeper:
Arguably the most important position in your team as there is a fine line between collecting points and not. Firstly you want a goalkeeper that will, barring injury, definitely start for their club. Hence why last season my player to avoid was De Gea, he did start most weeks but nevertheless he missed out on a few and consequently a few clean sheets and ultimately points. However this season I would not offer quite the same advice this season, I believe he will be the No. 1 and is the best priced keeper from the predicted top three and likely clean sheet teams (Chelsea, City, United) at 6.0. Hart and Cech are 7.0 and 6.5 respectively. Although my personal preference is to avoid the top Goalkeepers, one reason is because I often pick my goalkeepers towards the end and therefore strapped for cash, another reason is due to the small difference in points scored in the goalkeepers; there was a difference of 50 points between 1st and 13th last season. Instead I will look to the value of players like Vorm, Krul, Friedel (5.5) as a first choice keeper, and look to Foster, Given (5.0) and Ruddy (4.5) for back up. Although they will have less clean sheets that the keepers of the top clubs they are also likely to have more saves (3 saves per point,) bonus points and the potential for penalty saves, one reason Krul and Vorm were so successful last year. It also means you are more likely to rotate the keepers, a risky tactic but one that could pay off extremely well (especially if your keepers seem, to some extent, alternate on weeks they play at home.) Two players I have noted to be over priced are: firstly Al Habsi (5.0) yes he is a good keeper but I, like many others envisage Wigan struggling in defence. Secondly Reina (6.0,) again a good keeper but for a club likely to finish outside the top 4, at least, he would be one to avoid.
The Defence:
When choosing my Goalkeepers and Defence I attempt to have 7 different clubs represented in an attempt to avoid 'doubling up.' Yes 'doubling up' could be beneficial in terms of clean sheets it also works the other way and you could miss out on points, additionally by varying the clubs I can manipulate which players are likely to get a clean sheet and a crucial four points. Although more points are won by the midfielders and strikers, hence their added price, so I would still look for good value players and avoid the over priced players - Enrique (6.0) likely to concede goals with Rogers' philosophy and current lack of quality, Vidic (7.0) because of recent injuries, may be bit part player this season and Cahill/Luiz/Ivanovic (6.5) for their unreliable starting place as they all vie for one spot, although they may be good value if a regular starter is found. Despite being the most expensive defender, Kompany (7.5) is a sure starter and likely to pick up numerous bonus points along with the inevitable clean sheets and also on occasions he picks up the invaluable six point worth goals - guaranteed points but at a price. One of Ashley Cole (6.5) Walker (6.5) Vermaelen (7.0) or Jones (6.0) would be my other 'expensive' defender choice. Possibly not Jones just yet as he has not cemented a position within United's team but always looks like scoring goals. Vermaelen has proven he can score goals from defence but whether Arsenal can keep them out is a recurring question. Cole and Walker do not score goals (Walker the odd screamer,) but they do score assists and a crucial three points. It is goal and assist scoring defenders which set those above the rest, in Williams (5.0) Shawcross (5.0) R Taylor (5.5) and McCauley (5.0) have all proven that, and come at a good price. The newly promoted sides will also have good value defenders, especially considering they boast cheap 4.0m regular starters - do not be naive enough to assume they are incapable of clean sheets because they are 'new.' Gunter and Mariappa (4.0) of Reading ought to start and could pick up points through assists and goals respectively. Similarly Clyne (4.0) of Southampton is likely to pick up assists, as is Demel (4.0) at West Ham whilst Reid (4.5) is a likely candidate for goals.
The Midfield:
I am sure you will notice a similar pattern emerging; those players capable of scoring goals and assists will be high point scorers. So clearly the players I will mention are likely of achieving this. First of those is David Silva, the most expensive at 10.0 but in a team of top class players it is him and Yaya Toure (8.0) who will be sure starters in an illustrious side. And then the first new foreign signing I will mention is Hazard (9.5) I tend to avoid new signings as they are always over priced but Hazard may be worth it. I think had he gone to United or Man City I would not be mentioning him, under the grounds I would doubt his regularity of a start. Although at Chelsea I expect him to be their star player, maybe even their top scorer and he would most certainly challenge Silva in my team - if you can get them both in then well done. And if you have you will need some cheaper options in the midfield - Ross Barkley (4.5) may well be the man, not a sure starter but he will most certainly feature and could be a revelation with a regular run of games. Dembele (6.0) Nathan Dyer (5.5) Allen (5.5) and Morrison (6.0) may be good value. Other new signings that may just be worthwhile are Oscar (8.5) Santi Cazorla (9.0) Michu (6.5) Kagawa (8.5.) But more reliable proven candidates would be Ramires (7.0) McClean (6.5) Cabaye (7.0) Wilshere (6.5) and Walters (6.5.) I would avoid Modric (7.5) despite a good price as he is likely to move and Dempsey (9.5) because at that price I think he has lost value and will not be able to repeat his performance of last season, and similar to Modric he has also been the subject of transfer speculation.
The Strikers:
Following a remarkable end to the season both Jelavic (8.5) and Cisse (9.5) will be on the radar of most, although they have been considerably priced up I would still look at getting both of these in to my team. Saying that Ba (7.5) would be a very tempting prospect for a man forgotten since Cisse's arrival but one who has proven he has the ability to score goals. I would be hesitant to put Torres (10.0) in my team but he is a good price and will have no Drogba to intervene this season. Rooney (12.0) and Aguero (11.5) are likely candidates for the golden boot so if you can get one of them in then do, although I would wait and see where Van Persie (13.0) goes, if it is United, as reported, then I would look towards Aguero. Although Aguero himself will have Balotelli (9.0) Dzeko (7.5) and Tevez (9.0) to contend with because of this you might choose to avoid the Man City strikers to begin with but bear them in mind and monitor which players are starting and which are not as City will score goals. Some cheaper options for the third striker would be Pogrebnyak (5.0) Ruiz (6.0) Graham (6.0) Holt (6.5) Crouch (6.5) and Long (6.0) as they will all aim to score 10 goals or more this season.
I hope I have been able to give you a few tips for the season ahead, enjoy the Fantasy Football, and if you are looking for a league to join then use this code: 28465-192955 and join the 'Baney Talks Football Fantasy League'
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Thank you and good luck.
