It felt like only yesterday that Chelsea lifted the Premier League trophy; that Louis van Gaal was sipping a glass of red to celebrate Manchester United reaching their goal of a top-four finish; that we were wondering when Brendan Rodgers would get the axe from Liverpool.
Those are now all storylines of the past. Much like the mentioning of Angel Di Maria in this space is now a thing of the past. No, I will not venture into Ligue 1 fantasy tips for the time being. Sorry.
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Fantasy-wise, the Premier League will have a different look. The official PremierLeague.com fantasy game is now the preferred choice. It’s a tad more difficult, in that we won’t be able to completely overhaul our squads on a weekly basis. The squad you pick for Matchday 1 is likely going to look much like the squad you will have on Matchday 38. You are allowed only one single transfer each week. That makes this much more of a challenge.
It also makes it imperative that you pick up on early season trends and pounce on them. Which teams are going to lead the goal-scoring charts? Which teams are taking on a more defensive style? Offence is the name of the game when we talk fantasy footy, so make sure you keep it locked here each week as I’ll keep you up to date on the best way to shape your squad.
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Here’s what I’m looking at for Week 1 in fantasy football.
GOALKEEPER
Strategy: In this format goalkeepers only range from 4.0M to 5.5M. Essentially it isn’t too difficult to fit anyone you want into your squad. Just be aware, the top ‘keeper in this format was Lukasz Fabianski last season, and not Thibault Courtois. A combination of saves and clean sheets is what you want.
Jack Butland (4.5M) – Stoke City: The Potters cleared the way for the highly-touted Englishman to finally get his chance when Asmir Begovic moved to Chelsea. Stoke is a team that should finish comfortably in the top-10 again this season, while having a decent defensive record.
Adrian (5.0M) – West Ham United: Slaven Bilic isn’t Sam Allardyce, that’s for sure. But I still think West Ham have a good chance to contend for a top 10 spot, and Adrian should be a big reason for it.
DEFENDERS
Strategy: Defenders are far cheaper than midfielders and forwards. The highest scoring defenders cost less than midfielders and forwards who would have the same-point haul or even less come season’s end. Be aware of that when picking your squad.
Luke Shaw (5.5M) – Manchester United: The young left fullback had a terrible start to life at Old Trafford. Louis van Gaal though still has faith in the Southampton youth product, calling this ‘the season of Luke Shaw’. Big upside in this pick.
Nathaniel Clyne (5.5M) – Liverpool: I’m not expecting much to change with Clyne despite his move away from Southampton. He’s likely going to remain among the top fantasy defenders this season, as he should be a part of the reason Liverpool up their goal total from last season.
Darryl Janmaat (5.0M) – Newcastle United: Janmaat was the only signing of last season that really took off with the Magpies. I expect that to continue.
Joel Ward (4.5M) – Crystal Palace: He’s steady, and cheaper than some of the other defenders. A good bet to start on a weekly basis, and be effective.
MIDFIELDERS
Strategy: If you picked the top three midfielders in this format last season, they would have scored more points than the top three forwards. David Silva, Alexis Sanchez and Eden Hazard are special talents, and at least in the case of Hazard and Sanchez they aren’t really midfielders. You should have one of those big three in your squad.
Sadio Mane (8.0M) – Southampton: Mane fits that midfielder/forward type role, and really came on toward the end of last season. He should have a regular place in Ronald Koeman’s side, and be among the top scoring midfielders.
Ki Sung-Yeung (5.5M) – Swansea City: The criminally underrated South Korean is a bargain at this price and should continue to have a major role with the Swans.
Matt Ritchie (6.0M) – Bournemouth: The 25-year-old Scottish midfielder was a star in Bournemouth’s promotion season. 15 goals and 17 assists last season has him on my radar as a fantasy pick.
Dimitri Payet (7.5M) – West Ham United: Payet should be the focal point in midfield as the Hammers move away from their rigid style of years past. He collected 17 assists in Ligue 1 last season with Marseille before making his big move.
FORWARDS
Wayne Rooney (10.5M) – Manchester United: Rooney will be Manchester United’s lone striker this season. The additions of Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, and Bastian Schwinsteiger should provide him with plenty of service. I’m tipping him to have a third career 20+ goal season.
Harry Kane (9.5M) – Tottenham: When a guy is the focal point of attack in a team, it’s usually a good sign that he will be successful. Kane proved he can handle that pressure, and will continue to be Spurs’ most important player.
Callum Wilson (5.5M) – Bournemouth: A budget option you can use to fill out your squad elsewhere with high-priced talent. Wilson is another high upside pick. He scored buckets while leading the Cherries to promotion last season, and if they are to continue their high-scoring ways, he’ll be the benefactor.
MY STARTING XI (4-4-2): Butland; Baines, Wasilewski, Clyne, Shaw; Capoue, Hazard, Mane, Depay; Rooney, Kane.
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