Which ten FPL players are worthy of consideration for your watch-list ahead of GW8?
Today I will be talking about some of the players with great FPL potential for future GW’s who are yet to fulfil the pre-season expectations bestowed upon them.
These could be great picks in the future and represent differential value: if brought in at the right time, they hold the potential to do your FPL rank a huge favour. They are surely worth having a look at for a place on your FPL watch-list.
Goalkeepers:
First we look at the GK’s. Most Premier League teams like to keep one GK in the sticks for as long as possible. It is therefore difficult to find exceptional value, though these two are potentially coy picks and worth keeping an eye on in the face of injury news and selection dilemmas.
Tim Krul (BHA) – £4.0m
You must have heard of the phrase “Tim Krul keeping it cool”. If not, you have heard it now. He is not at Newcastle anymore which was an interesting summer transfer having made a permanent move to Brighton.
He is currently behind the pecking order to Mathew Ryan but this is Tim Krul we are talking about: he can become first choice easily with his qualities and once that happens another 4.0 million playing GK will be available. He could give a high number of save points to you as a manager coupled with Brighton being a good defensive unit who could get some clean sheets along the way. Should Matt Ryan fall short in terms of injury, Krul could be your man.
Orestis Karnezis (WAT) – £4.5m
Watford signed the Greek international Orestis Karnezis from Udinese on a one year loan in the 2017/18 summer transfer window. Heurelho Gomes has been keeping him out of the team so far, but Udinese would like to see their loaned player to get playing time and he seems to be a good goalkeeper (on the basis of his FIFA 18 card) so he may get to play in the future. We will just have to wait and see.
Defenders:
Now it’s time to look at some defensive options. We always look primarily for clean sheets from defenders and any attacking returns is just a bonus. Some of the following players aren’t playing much currently but may become very important for their teams soon.
Victor Lindelof (MUN) – £4.9m
Everyone had Victor Lindelof in their FPL teams as soon as the game began in July, so when he didn’t get any game time in the Premier League he had a massive amounts of transfers out, making him the first player to get a 0.5 million decrease in value.
That has now become a 0.6 decrease and a £4.9m Man Utd defender is gold dust as they are simply keeping so many clean sheets. He is being eased into the league by Mourinho, and even though he does not like to keep changing his defence, it is inevitable injuries will occur, so hold tight and jump on the Lindelof bandwagon when he enters the fray.
Luke Shaw (MUN) – £4.9m
Another 4.9 million Man Utd defender Luke Shaw could make his way into our teams soon. He was struggling with injury, though seems to have almost finished his recovery.
With Ashley Young playing at left back for United, it is obvious that Shaw is the best left back at the club in comparison, and could soon make that starting spot his. So he as well as Lindelof could be another cheap way into the Manchester United defence.
Davide Zappacosta (CHE) – £5.9m
From one top side to another, let’s talk about Chelsea. They signed Davide Zappacosta on deadline day and many believed he would replace Victor Moses in the starting line-up. That hasn’t happened yet but he looked good in the Champions League and may eventually get into the Chelsea line-up. At 5.9m he would be an interesting alternative to the seriously expensive Marcos Alonso, and could be a way to maximise value in your FPL team.
Midfielders:
Now its time to talk about the midfielders. It’s really important to have a solid midfield so I have found two players who could be an important piece of the jigsaw.
Anthony Knockaert (BHA) – £5.7m
Despite accruing 15 goals and eight assists in the Championship last year; coupled with his award of Championship Player of the Year, Anthony Knockaert hasn’t had the best of starts in the Premier League this season.
He was very influential in getting Brighton to this level and an injury at the start of the year hasn’t helped his time in the Premier League. He will surely will be an important part of Brighton’s season if they want to successfully survive from relegation so he is worth keeping an eye on.
Wilfried Zaha (CRY) – £6.7m
Seven games. Seven losses. Zero goals scored. Crystal Palace are heading for quite possibly the worst start by any team ever in the Premier League. Wilfried Zaha’s injury in their first match hasn’t helped and it seems like they desperately need the skilful winger back so that they can turn their season around. He was one of the best cheap midfielders in the game last season, and could get Palace’s and your FPL season back on track.
Forwards:
it has all been about the forwards this year so far with Harry Kane, Lukaku, Aguero, Morata all impressing. Lets talk now about the little less obvious choices.
Andy Carroll (WHU) – £5.9m
The big guy Andy Carroll is an interesting player to track, of course most of the time he is on the sidelines but when he is playing he is a deadly striker. Bilic has signed Chicharito and may soon take the “Big and the Little” approach and play Carroll alongside the Mexican. He is good on the ball and an amazing header of the ball. You soon may find yourself pondering over picking Carroll in your starting XI – certainly one to keep an eye on.
Wilfried Bony (SWA) – £6.0m
Wilfried Bony’s career has taken a full circle going from Swansea to Man City and now back to Swansea. His first stint at the club was an impressive one and was a constant goal scorer which earned him that move to Man City. Though his career has drifted away if he starts getting game time he might reach the levels he reached before and make him impossible to ignore for FPL selection.
Michy Batshuyayi (CHE) – £8.1m
This is an intriguing one. With Alvaro Morata being injured for uncertain period Michy Batshuyayi may find himself leading the line for Chelsea in the Premier League. It is still unsure whether Conte will go for him as he brought Willian in when Morata got injured, but he is still one to keep an eye on because a Chelsea striker at that price can only be good news.
Finally, many of you must be thinking this is thinking too far forward, but it is well known that, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. So look at these potential players for your watch-list and find your own, this will help you enjoy the game and give immense satisfaction when one of them punts work.
These are the sort of things that make you different and can result in your rank rocketing through the utilisation of differentials in the face of both injury and unexpected alterations to managerial selection. Enjoy the game and may all your arrows be green.
Best of luck to you all.
Written by @Varun_esque
