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The fantasy fooball season is unfortunately coming to a close. For some managers you still have it all to play for as you try and outfox your rivals to finish the season as the champion.
For our tips this week, we will be picking out five alternative options to the popular players that you should consider because of their low selected percentage. This can make all the difference if you need to catch somebody up in the table.
FIXTURES:
At this stage of the season, most of the best teams have six or seven of the same players/ defenders from the same club. The only chance you have of outscoring them is by either picking a different captain, often a risk, or switching a popular player for an alternative option.
With Cesc Fabregas seeing red against West Brom for his deadly dink into the face of Chris Brunt, he is obviously the man you need to replace this week if you own him, but if you don’t, it is worth considering some of the changes below. David De Gea is unlikely to play against Hull City on the final day so he is added to the list as well.
ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER
BANNED Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea) – 9.2m – Selected by 28.9%
Ander Herrera (Manchester United) – 7.2m – Selected by 2.9% or
Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) – 6.4m – Selected by 1.9%
Fabregas is the obvious option to transfer out if you own him but he is an awkward player to replace. You can’t afford to switch him with one of the top midfielders unless you have some spare money in the bank. The best options are two Manchester United midfielders with them playing relegation candidates Hull in the final match of the season. Herrera has found the net three times in his last seven games and has proved himself to be a goalscoring midfielder – always a captivating prospect in fantasy football. Herrera doesn’t find himself in the box as much as his midfield colleague Fellaini though so perhaps he is a better shout. The Belgian has been one of the standout stars for the Red Devils this season and is always a threat from set pieces.
MAJOR DOUBT David De Gea (Manchester United) – 5.9m – Selected by 23.3%
David Ospina (Arsenal) – 5.0m – Selected by 3.9%
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) – 5.9m – Selected by 9.6%
It looks almost certain that David De Gea is out of the Hull City match and that he could have played his last match for Manchester United. He is the most popular keeper so if you are looking for an alternative, you need to predict what your rivals are going to do if you are chasing points. Courtois is the obvious replacement but many managers will already own three Chelsea players so this can’t be done. If this is the case, the next best option is Ospina for Arsenal with them facing West Brom at home.
Harry Kane (Spurs) – 6.1m – Selected by 46.5%
Danny Ings (Burnley) – 5.5m – Selected by 4.3%
Charlie Austin (QPR) – 6.2m – Selected by 16.6%
Harry Kane hasn’t been anywhere near the player he was in the first half of the season recently. The English forward has scored one goal in his last seven matches. With Spurs facing Everton away, you doubt whether he will be able to improve this record. Two players that come to Sport360’s attention are forwards that are playing for sides that are already relegated; therefore they have nothing to lose. Ings and Austin will most likely be playing their last game for their respected teams after both having impressive season’s. With this in mind, you could see them bowing out in style – especially Ings against an Aston Villa outfit that are now just focussed on the FA Cup after securing their Premier League status for next season.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – 11.1m – Selected by 41.5%
Yaya Toure (Man City) – 10.7m – Selected by 5.7%
David Silva (Man City) – 9.7m – Selected by 21.4%
You might feel crazy transferring the Player of the Season but this is a risk that must be considered if you are chasing a leader. You can tell the season has taken its toll on the Belgian so now might be the time to switch him. Yaya stamped his authority on the Premier League again last week, scoring two against Swansea. This would possibly be the best replacement with so many people owning David Silva. Have a look at your rival’s team and replace Hazard with whoever he doesn’t have.
Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton) – 6.0m – Selected by 32.9%
Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester City) – 4.5m – Selected by 2.1%
Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United) – 5.3m – Selected by 7.4%
Ever since Fraser Forster got injured, Southampton have been nowhere near as solid defensively with either Kelvin Davis or Paulo Gazzaniga in goal. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in five matches. If you were going to transfer a Southampton defender you must weigh up the options of defenders which play for teams that many managers ignore. Leicester and Newcastle defenders are the best choice. The two players that Sport360 would recommend are Schlupp, who plays more as a winger than a defender and Janmaat, who has been Newcastle’s best player this season. Leicester face QPR at home so they have a good chance of a clean sheet and no Foxes defender is selected by more than 5.2%. Newcastle are fighting for their Premier League status against West Ham. They will certainly be relying on key players like Janmaat.
REMEMBER: If you are trailing the leader by a substantial amount of points (over 20), you need to choose a different captain to them.
They are most likely going to choose Sergio Aguero as captain so alter it up to give yourself a better chance of catching them. Then pray on Sunday that Aguero scores an own goal and gets sent off in the opening ten minutes!
Team of the week: If you still have a wildcard that you have forgotten about…
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