Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool in Black Friday Special

Nov 25

Written by @CraigHazell – that’s important!

DEFENDER: DEJAN LOVREN, LIVERPOOL

Once again, I have toiled (7 minutes at most, I’m not getting paid for this sh*t) over my defender pick but it’s impossible to ignore Liverpool at home to Sunderland.

I’m not totally convinced they can keep Jermain Defoe off the scoresheet for 90 minutes but I can’t help but feel he really is the only one they need to keep quiet. Klopp was involved in a surprising 0-0 draw with Saints last week but Dejan Lovren’s value levelled at 5.0m, which given his likelihood to play 90 minutes for a top of the table side, isn’t half bad. He has 2 goals this season, which isn’t that notable but makes him on track to get 5 or so for the season which isn’t bad for a central defender if you stick with them.

MIDFIELDER: GYLFI SIGURDSSON, SWANSEA

We often make the mistake of overlooking poor teams because they are so awful and unreliable. But this isn’t your betting slip. While you wouldn’t trust Swansea on your coupon, you would trust Gylfi Sigurdsson with your coupon, your guttering, and probably your children. He’s an old FPL favourite and it’s no wonder. Other than his flirtation with Spurs, he has become synonymous with Swansea and indeed with goals and assists from midfield. He is 3.6% picked and average 6 points per game in his last 5 with a home tie against Palace. That game could be crucial come May for Big Bad Bob Bradley’s Boys and Gylfi could come good once more.

FORWARD: GEORGEOUS GEORGE, ARSENAL

My striker this week is another contender for an outside pick. He’s an International, 1.8% picked, bags of Premier League experience and a face so beautiful he makes your hand involuntarily creep towards the crotch of your jeans. That’s right, it’s Olivier Giroud. It’s a risk because he has only cameo’d off the bench since returning from injury 3 weeks ago, but he has an incredible return of 3 goals in 61 minutes without even hitting full fitness. That’s an incredible feat that seems to have gone largely un-noticed. He comes under fire from some Arsenal factions but then they write rap songs, make half and half shirts and instagram their home games. What do they know?

CAPTAIN: HARRY KANE, SPURS

I had the weird but welcome opportunity of tipping Harry Kane as an outsider last time out. And while he will have been used to that at school (his head hasn’t grown since the age of 12) he is not outsider material in the sphere of fantasy football. In his 2 games back, he has bagged 3 goals, equalling 21 points and those of you still married to Aguero/Costa/Ibra and not willing to look towards Kane are probably being stubborn and/or ignorant. You might think this isn’t the week to do it, with a tough game against an in form Chelsea but I say all the more reason and get a week up on your more hesitant friends. Even a consolation goal in a loss is more than you might get from some of the other less consistent big price tags.

OUTSIDER: ANTONIO BARRAGAN, MIDDLESBOROUGH

I usually take the opportunity to throw in an extra striker for the outsider option, but at 1.1% I thought I might go rogue and pick Middlesborough defender Antonio Barragan. I told you at the start of the season that Boro might not entertain but that they won’t concede many. They only shipped 1 to each of City and Chelsea and have clocked up a few clean sheets as the year has gone on. Leicester, their opponents, have struggled with Champions League hangover in the past (Vardy both literally and figuratively) and I can easily see this game being a 0-0 or even a narrow 1-0 win for the Teesiders. Barragan is only 4.5m and if, like me, you’ve had injured George Friend all season, Antonio might be a nice 4th defender for you if you fancy a cheeky formation change.