Fantasy Premier League 202/22 | Picking the best stars to help you thrive in Gameweek 15
English football’s December schedule is the most hectic one in the world and on the back of our first mid-week round, FPL managers are is reeling. Somehow the average was 58 points, thanks largely to Mohamed Salah but with rotation and injuries yet to feature, who will guide us into the new year?
The Good
James Maddison
The mere mention of this kid’s name before Sunday would have had many in tears and in sheer shock at the fact that somebody suggested picking James Maddison. But since Sunday, the Leicester City midfielder has scored a massive 26 points which have pushed his ownership into 6.6%. Not only that, only Emile Smith Rowe, Bernardo Silva, and Diogo Jota have been transferred in more than Maddison with 97966 managers, at the time of writing, signing the 25-year-old.
That comes as a shock to not just FPL managers but fans and critics alike especially when you consider the fact that out of the five goals he has contributed to this season, three have come in the last two games. It showcases a change for the Foxes with them moving from a more measured style of losing to just pure chaos on the football field. Their last two games have had ten goals scored, with the Foxes netting six of those, and half of that has come from Maddison.
Something has clearly clicked for him and the stats show a marked improvement in both possession and off-the-ball work from him. He has produced the second most touches inside the final third over the last two games, with only one out of his previous 12 games exceeding the 20 mark total. Not only that, he has produced seven key passes in the last two games, which is as many as he produced in the previous 12. Need any more evidence?
Sergio Reguilon
The most transferred in the defender, at the time of writing, there is no denying the impact that Antonio Conte’s system seems to have had on Sergio Reguilon. The Spaniard has produced two-goal contributions in as many matches and topped it up with a clean sheet against Brentford for a very impressive 21 point haul over the last two games. It’s something that will continue especially with Conte playing him as a wing-back alongside Emerson Royal on the other flank.
That has already seen Reguilon touch the ball more in the middle and final third although as a naturally offensive full-back, the Spaniard tends to do that anyway. There is also the added bonus of the fact that Tottenham face Norwich City, Brighton and Hove Albion, Leicester City, Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Southampton in the month of December. Of the six, only half the opponents might cause Spurs the problems we expect with Brighton and Leicester on that list.
It’s a decent fixture list and helped by the fact that his £5.2m price tag makes him a far cheaper and consistent option as compared to Marcos Alonso, Joao Cancelo or even Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Spaniard has yet to produce numbers on that level yet but with Reece James out injured for now, he makes for an apt replacement.
The Great
Diogo Jota
When the FPL gods give you a gift this good, you say thank you and simply walk away. Because having a premium forward, in a midfield role, at a bargain £7.9m and who also happens to be in sensational form while playing for the top-scoring team in the league, is just….lovely. And if you didn’t guess yet then yes, this is all about good ol Diogo Jota. It should be about Mohamed Salah and how he has yet again demolished expectations but Jota is doing the same.
Someone on Twitter put it very aptly “Jota having a Sturridge 13/14 season to Salah's Suarez 13/14” and there is nothing closer to the truth. Just look at his stats over the last five games, with five goals and a consistent starting berth for a grand total of eight goals. Add in the fact that Roberto Firmino is still injured and Jurgen Klopp doesn’t want to risk it, it leaves Jota in a lovely place.
So what on earth are you waiting for? Go sign the man already.
And the punt
Ollie Watkins
Various other FPL managers have other suggestions but so far few players have impressed under a new manager as much as Ollie Watkins has under Steven Gerrard. Both him and Matt Targett have done very well and another injury to Leon Bailey could potentially be exactly what he needs. He has been a little finicky in front of goals this season with just four, but that’s been the entire team although Watkins is averaging a goal every other game over the last five games.
It’s not the worst run in the world and the Villians face Leicester City next who, as mentioned above, have opted for pure chaos and are letting goals fly at either end. Plus they’ve struggled to keep a clean sheet this season which has many fans and neutrals mouths watering for a lovely game. It also means a lot of goals but at the same time, something could click and it could turn out to be a drab affair.
That’s the way this game works and it’s exactly what makes Watkins a punt but with no Leon Bailey and with Danny Ings still working his way back from an injury, Watkins is all but guaranteed a starting place. Yet, as the Englishman has shown us in the past, he is more than capable of popping up with a hattrick or two out of nowhere or even finding the net against the toughest teams in the league. Combine all that with an above-average fixture list, with just two of the three title contenders until early January, and Watkins could hit gold.
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