With Christmas and New Year in the books, you have returned to work refreshed, buoyed even by the banter with your workmates, a new sense of freedom and opportunity dominating your everyday thoughts. Then you remember Wally from Accounts, and catching his grin at your arrival, remember with horror that you forgot to do a thing with your Premier League football team.
The shame. The shock. The possible money on the line with Wally. Whoever your Wally is, if they have a lead on you, you’re going to need to make big changes as soon as you can. With a new Wild Card back in play, you need to know who to buy and why, let alone how much they’ll cost you. Let’s get down to it.
Goalkeepers
Top pick: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester)
Points Obtained: 84
Current Player Cost: 5.4
It has been The Foxes’ stopper’s first half of the season. While Leicester have attracted plenty of plaudits for their attacking prowess, their backline has been rock solid, no-one more so than the Danish number one.
While Schmeichel has made the most points so far, he’s actually not the best value keeper, with Brighton’s Mat Ryan and Watford’s Ben Foster both costing considerably less at 4.8 and banking 81 points in the first 21 FPL Gameweeks.
If you fancy another cheap option that will save you money for elsewhere in your squad and keep the points rolling in, then Burnley’s Nick Pope is great value at just 4.7. Having already earned his Fantasy Football managers 75 points, Burnley’s consistency in the second half of the season, coupled with the England keeper’s push to be part of the Euro 2020 squad with Tom Heaton now injured, The Clarets number one may be a great buy.
Defenders
Top pick: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Points Obtained: 112
Current Player Cost: 7.5
A full 16 points ahead of his nearest rival, and with 24 points in one week the player with the biggest single gameweek score in the entire Fantasy Premier League season, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s incredibly long name has become synonymous with FPL points.
While Alexander-Arnold costs a whopping 7.5 points and is by far the dearest defender out there, he’s so far clear of everyone else that if you have him then you won’t have minded paying whatever you did. Liverpool’s Andy Roberston (7.0 points) and Sheffield United’s John Lundstram are his closest challengers with 98 points, although Lundstram at 5.1 points cost represents far better value.
Elsewhere, you might look at bringing Crystal Palace’s Martin Kelly into your squad, as costing just 4.4, the South London player has scored an incredible 60 points, great value at that cost.
Midfielders
Top pick: Kevin De Bruyne (Man. City)
Points Obtained: 141
Current Player Cost: 10.6
Sadio Mane has been overtaken at the top of the midfield points-scoring charts, with Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City the new king, albeit only by one point. With 141 points, De Bruyne’s true value is in his cost, which at 10.6 is 1.7 points cheaper than Mane, who at 12.3 has gained just 140 points for his FLP managers.
Elsewhere, James Maddison has starred in central midfield for Leicester and costing just 7.7 points, has pulled in 103 points for his teams. The Midlands player may be on the move in the summer if not January, but while he plays for Leicester he will undoubtedly be star ma more often than not. Beware the fans picking Jamie Vardy as King of the Match, reducing ‘Madders’ to just 2 bonus points per game.
If you’re looking for a cheaper player still, then Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish is great value at 6.4 cost, earning his teams 94 points so far and frequently getting the most bonus points against smaller teams.
Forwards
Top pick: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Points Obtained: 144
Current Player Cost: 10.1
The only player to remain the leader in their area of the pitch is Leicester’s Golden Boot leader, Jamie Vardy.
Rustling opposition crowds with every goal he scores, the Leicester striker has 144 points, the most by any player in the Fantasy Premier League so far. His nearest rival is Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who costs 10.6, half a point more than Vardy, yielding 21 fewer points over the course of the season so far.
While it would be easy to plump for either of those men to lead your line, a cheaper alternative might be either Marcus Rashford (122 points/9.1 cost) or even Southampton’s Danny Ings (118 points/6.7 cost). You might not go far wrong with Wolves’ Mexican striker Raul Jimenez (106 points/75 cost), who is rumoured to be interesting the top clubs, as well as Manchester United.
