Gameweek 34 Preview

Clean Sheet Rankings
(clean sheets kept - opponents failed to score in parenthesis)

  1. Chelsea (10 - 8)
  2. Man Utd (9 - 4)
  3. Stoke* (2 - 4) and (5 - 6)
  4. Fulham* (3 - 3) and (8 - 5)
  5. Liverpool (7 - 4)
  6. Aston Villa (6 - 8)
  7. Tottenham (5 - 7)
  8. Sunderland (7 - 8)
  9. Blackburn (6 - 6)
  10. Wolves* (3 - 6) and (2 - 3)
  11. Man City (4 - 4)
  12. Blackpool (0 - 6)
  13. Wigan (3 - 3)
  14. Bolton* (5 - 2) and (0 - 3)
  15. Arsenal (4 - 3)
  16. Newcastle (5 - 0)
  17. Birmingham (3 - 1)
  18. West Brom (0 - 4)
  19. Everton (3 - 0)
  20. West Ham (1 - 2)
 * = double gameweek

Attacking Rankings
(expected goals in parenthesis)
  1. Chelsea (2.48)
  2. Stoke (2.44)*
  3. Fulham (2.36)*
  4. Tottenham (2.21)
  5. Bolton (2.07)*
  6. Arsenal (1.94)
  7. Man Utd (1.64)
  8. Liverpool (1.62)
  9. Wolves (1.60)*
  10. Aston Villa (1.50)
  11. Blackpool (1.44)
  12. West Brom (1.39)
  13. Newcastle (1.21)
  14. Man City (1.15)
  15. Blackburn (1.13)
  16. Everton (1.07)
  17. Wigan (0.92)
  18. Birmingham (0.89)
  19. Sunderland (0.82)
  20. West Ham (0.75)
 * = double gameweek
 
Captain Stats
The stars seen to have aligned for Drogba this week who gets the best fixture having found a nice bit of form in this late stage of the season (36 points in his last 5 games). In 12 games against weaker sides Drogba has 6 goals, 7 assists and 11 bonus points, averaging 7.3 PPG. He doesn't have the extreme home/road splits of some players (5.33 PPG home/5.19 PPG away) but he probably makes the safest pick this week nonetheless.

I predicted a big finish to the season for Lampard, and while he's had his moments (3 double digit GWs in the last 9) he's really lacked the consistency one would like for a 13m player. None of the aforementioned big games have come at home and he's mustered just 8 points in his last 3 at the Bridge. The set pieces always make him viable and I like him ahead of the other double digit midfielders this week but he isn't a pick you get overly excited about.

Although he perhaps doesn't have quite the fixture of some of the alternatives, Van Persie is actually more productive on the road this year (5.18 H/7.56 A) while he has simply crushed mid level opponents to the tune of 9.17 PPG. Also, don't be too alarmed by the 'Bolton play physical and play Arsenal well' rhetoric. That was true under Allardyce but under the more aesthetically pleasing Coyle, Bolton have lost all four games to Arsenal yielding 11 goals in the process (indeed Arsenal have 8 straight wins over the Wanderers).

Of the DGW options, Dempsey looks like a good play thanks to his consistent returns (4.6 PPG) and decent upside (two double digit games this year). The fixtures are slightly below Stoke's but aside from an out of form Etherington, there's really no one in the Potters team you trust to deliver the goods.

Van der Vaart looks well placed to capitalise on his midweek display as Spurs welcome a West Brom side with only one clean sheet all year (at home in GW2). Interestingly, the Dutchman has fared considerably worse against the weakest opponents (4.4 PPG) as appose to mid level (8.6 PPG) but his set piece duties and the Baggies' generally defensive crappiness make him a very good option this week.

Rooney and Nani don't have the best fixture but United remain excellent at home, where Nani in particular (9.07 PPG) has excelled (Rooney's split is fairly even). It's also worth noting that Rooney has managed just 2 goals in 9 games against his former employers. Nani meanwhile had an 8 point game in the reverse fixture in GW4. Both are good playsand you probably can't go wrong with either but higher upside can be found and those chasing the leaders should be mindful of their high ownership (44% Nani, 16% Rooney).

Suspensions
Paul Scholes
Maynor Figueroa

Comments

Unknown said…
what do you think of malouda now chris?, he has 30 points in the last 3 games and obviously a brilliant fixture.
thinking of bringing him in for downing.
Steven said…
Hopefully you went for Malouda.. I captained Sturridge. So far so good..
mike said…
I dropped Carroll for Sturridge and captained him as well.... looks like a great move! I just hope he's fit for Fulham.
Steven said…
50/50 Mike.. for me you and a lot of other people. But still only 6% ownership or so I believe.

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