Fantasy Football cheat sheet: Danny Welbeck in, Diego Costa out?

It's the only way

Conan Doherty

Fantasy Football cheat sheet: Danny Welbeck in, Diego Costa out?

What’s the point anymore? Really, what is the point?

This game is programmed. It’s pure luck. It’s not real life.

If you want a proper battle of wits, we’ll see you on the Football Manager circuit.

For anyone who hasn’t lost the plot by now, ripped up their Fantasy Football team sheet and threatened that they would never play it again, here’s a list of some men you need to recruit or dump ahead of this weekend (from the scorned fingers of a manager who has already given up).

Three players to sign:

1. Erik Pieters

Fixture: Stoke City v Burnley
Price: £4.8m
Selected by: 1.2%

Looking for a one-week wonder? Erik Pieters is your man. The Stoke full back is sure to profit from that famously mean defensive set-up at the Britannia and, with lowly Burnley in town, Mark Hughes will be licking his lips at the prospect of a professional 1-0 job. Pieters could get forward more often at home to the Premier League’s bottom side and could be looking at scoring offensively for you but, be warned, this is a one-week deal only. Unless you want to take your chances against Liverpool, United and Arsenal in the next three fixtures.

2. Danny Welbeck

Fixture: Arsenal v Manchester United
Price: £7.3m
Selected by: 15.5%

Sure he’s obviously going to score. Hamstring shmamstring. Welbeck is quoted as having a 75 per cent chance of playing against his old club but, let’s face it, he’s playing. He’s hitting form too, is Danny. Scoring for England, notching 10 Fantasy points in his last two outings for the Gunners and, coming up against his former United side who adopt a policy of attack first, ask questions later, Welbeck will have his chances.

~~3. César Azpilicueta~~
3. Sergio Aguero

Fixture: Does it really matter?
Price: He’s worth it
Selected by: Not enough

If you want to play safe, guarantee yourself another six points, Chelsea are at home to West Brom and Azpilicueta is a cheap £6m banker clean sheet. If you want to do what is necessary to win your league, get Sergio Aguero in your team at all costs. He’s at £12.7m, he’s facing Swansea at home but, get this, not even a third of this gaming industry have him in their teams. Just put Aguero in, would you. He’s class.

Three players to sell:

1. Juan Mata

Fixture: Arsenal v Manchester United
Price: £8.4m
Selected by: 6%

He’s just not worth it anymore. The Spaniard has been in fine form, he’s looked threatening every time he’s on a pitch but, for whatever reason, Louis van Gaal just won’t unleash him. He’ll still pick up some points but it’s a lot of money for a substitute when you could have league-leading Oscar for the same price.

2. Daniel Sturridge

Fixture: Crystal Palace v Liverpool
Price: £11.1m
Selected by: 8%

If you are one of the eight per cent clinging on to the Liverpool hotshot, let it go. The amount of money you’re sitting on in the hope that he might return one day has already taken up nearly a third of your season and his latest setback should be a good kick up the backside for you. It’s time to let him go.