Fantasy Premier League 2020/21 – Captains and not picks matter in Gameweek 10
After the lows of the Gameweek 8 where nearly nobody brought in the big bucks, Gameweek 9 knocked us sent us back to heaven with an average of 55 points. It seems things went well for many managers although, with a decent set of fixtures, the hope is that the luck keeps flowing for almost everyone.
The sure-fire picks
Bruno Fernandes
Nothing about Manchester United ever screams sure-fire but there’s something about Bruno Fernandes especially now. The Portuguese midfielder is doing relatively well for himself across all competitions with five goals in three appearances including two in his last game. That was a Champions League fixture with his Premier League stats a little better. He’s managed three goals, and an assist, in two games with that tally set to keep rising or so we hope.
Not only that, while he may have given away a chance for a hattrick by handing the penalty to Marcus Rashford in the mid-week game, Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United’s number one penalty taker. That combined with the absurd number of penalties the Red Devils seem to win for themselves makes him a great choice especially at a nicely priced £10.8 million.
Furthermore, long term the fixture ticket seems to favour United with games against Southampton, West Ham, Manchester City and then Sheffield United over the next few weeks.
Kevin De Bruyne
He has been dropped by 2670961. But this is Kevin De Bruyne and you can never ever forget just how good the Belgian can be despite his form. Just 29 points in nine games isn’t a great tally by any means for KDB but that may have something to do with the Pep roulette, serious injuries, and COVID-19 positive tests for teammates that has affected form. It’s why the world is tempted to pick the Belgian and captain him this week against a struggling Burnley.
Add that to the fact that there is no Nick Pope for the side, and you get a combination made in heaven and one that we’d all love to see. Furthermore, fixture ticket wise, few teams are set as good as Manchester City until Gameweek 15 with just one big-ticket item on their list. That happens to be a Manchester derby but beyond that, they’ve got games against Fulham, the Baggies, Southampton and Newcastle United.
Want to make it even better? At the time of writing his ownership is under 19% which qualifies KDB as a differential pick and captain. Just imagine the leap in your mini-leagues if the Belgian strikes gold against a Nick Pope-less Burnley and then some.
The maybe/maybe nots
Son Heung-Min
Now despite him being the season’s top scorer so far, FPL wise and goals-wise, there have been 2603754, at the time of writing, who have dropped the South Korean. Why? We may never know but it may have something to do with the change in play that Tottenham have undergone. Since conceding three in ten minutes against West Ham, Spurs have started playing more defensive football with a lesser emphasis on scoring.
That combined with a lengthy Europa League travel could have something to do with it or it’s the fact that Tottenham have a tough-ish fixture ticket. They face Chelsea, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Leicester City, Wolves, and Fulham before the year ends which isn’t a great run. Combine that with the fact that they’re now considered as genuine title contenders, it does mean that Jose Mourinho will look to rest key stars during a gruelling December.
Even then, Son’s form over the last few weeks has been iffy at best with him scoring just once in his last three games. So maybe, that is why he has been dropped? But even then, the South Korean’s transformation into a world-class, lethal attacking force makes him hard to ignore, even with the fixture list.
Jamie Vardy
Leicester City vs Fulham, need we say more? After Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s double against the Cottagers in the last game, the FPL gods have spoken and they’ve said, always pick a striker that faces Fulham. This time it is Lord Jamie Vardy and the Foxes superstar is in great form with him having found the net eight times in the 2020/21 season. That plus two assists makes him a great choice for anyone who has already picked him.
Not only that, he is fully fit, at the time of writing, but that could change in the coming days with the Foxes not playing until Monday night. Even then his fixture ticket is gorgeous to look at with Fulham, Sheffield United, Brighton and Everton over the next few weeks alongside European football. Now with the Foxes already qualified, more or less, it could see Vardy rested mid-week for the league games.
That only bodes well for FPL managers and while his price tag of £10.2 million is a little steep, given the other options in the same bracket, it makes Vardy a great choice.
And the punt
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
It really is nice to watch how Dominic Calvert-Lewin has turned into a proper, number 9 for Everton and one that they’ve really lacked since Romelu Lukaku left the club. But not only that, his combination play with James Rodriguez and Richarlison is even better to watch especially when you take into consideration how badly they played when one of the trio was out. It shows, that when all three play, the Toffees are a better outfit and Calvert-Lewin reaps the benefits.
Ten goals in nine games, two goals in his last game, and while he has tried to keep Everton going in Richarlison’s absences, he failed. But now that the trio is back together, expect DCL to keep firing and hopefully keep scoring. The fact that one needs to hope makes this move a punt but even then, as punts go this one has a pretty good chance of making it all the way home. Especially in the long-term with games against Leeds United, Burnley, Chelsea, and Arsenal in over the next few weeks.
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