We hate when no-brainer selections become… brainers?
86 points in nine game-weeks and that was without your coveted captain’s armband – Sergio Aguero was your shining light. The oil in your FF engine. The Curly-Wurly in your selection box.
Then the guy’s injury jinx strikes again and you won’t be seeing him on a football pitch again until 2019, or late January 2015, depending on what tea-leaves you’re reading. The first part of our Fantasy Football tips revolve around replacing a man with 14 goals, three assists and a shedload of bonus points.
Three players to sign
1. Robin van Persie
Fixture: Manchester United v Liverpool
Price: £12.5
Selected by: 4.2%
We nudged you in RVP’s direction a couple of weeks ago and are feeling ever so slightly smug after his three-game haul of three goals, two assists and 25 points.
Van Persie is looking back to his best and his Manchester United team have Liverpool at home, Villa away and Newcastle back at Old Trafford in the coming weeks.
2. Wilfired Bony
Fixture: Swansea v Tottenham
Price: £8.5m
Selected by: 12%
After a slow start to the season, the Dutch striker is in a magenta patch right now. Seven goals and an assist in his last two games. A couple of away games, against Hull and Liverpool, on the horizon but Bony is not a flat-track (home ground) bully and is fond of a goal on the road. The Swans also welcome Villa to The Liberty Stadium soon.
Spurs’ away form is slightly better than their White Hart Lane tribulations but they have still shipped 13 goals in seven matches and are short on confidence.
3. Diego Costa
Fixture: Chelsea v Hull
Price: £11m
Selected by: 55.4%
After nine goals in his first seven league games, Costa’s hamstring(s) flared up and he has been a fleeting figure in match reports and headlines. He was rested from Champions League action midweek and should lead the line against a woefully out of form Hull.
Chelsea will be raring to go after their defeat to Newcastle last week and Hull could well be hit for four, five or eight. Expect the Costa to Aguero deserters to come flooding back so get him before the price goes up by 0.1 or 0.2m soon.
Three players to sell
1. Aaron Ramsey
Fixture: Arsenal v Newcastle
Price: £8.7m
Selected by: 13.6%
Just as the Welshman was starting to hit form – and score amazing goals – his hamstring twinged and Arsene Wenger pulled on the kid gloves. He misses out this weekend but, the Gunners hope, will be back for their match against Liverpool on December 21. Chelsea’s Oscar and Spurs’ Christian Eriksen are cheaper alternatives to cover a midfield slot.
2. Cesc Fabregas
Fixture: Chelsea v Hull
Price: £9.7
Selected by: 44.4%
Aguero out AND Cesc Fabregas. If you are like nearly ever other FF player, you will have been affected by one of these chaps getting respectively crocked and suspended. The Spaniard was the league’s second highest scorer from midfield but his accumulation of yellow cards sees him miss out on the home gimme against Hull.
Fabregas has the most assists so far this season – 11 – so if that is your bag, go for Eriksen (nine assists) or Gylfi Sigurdsson (8). Polos and Corsas to Fabregas’ Bentley.
3. Charlie Austin
Fixture: Everton v QPR
Price: £6.1
Selected by: 11.5%
The R’s striker is another to miss out on the action through suspension. If you bought Austin before his hot streak, you may struggle to get him back in your side for the festive fixtures. Danny Ings is currently valued at £5.6m, however, and has four goals and an assist in his last seven games.
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