We’ve all seen the “template XI” and will, no doubt, have figured out which elite assets we’re going to jump on this season.
Whether you’re on the Salah train or the Haaland bus (or both), you’re going to be needing some handy differentials in your side to ensure you’re always one step ahead of your mini-league rivals and can climb up those world rankings!
In this weekly series, we explore those low ownership options that could be the hidden gems to help you to creep up that table. Here are the options we like the look of for GW9…
Goalkeeper: Lukasz Fabianski – West Ham – 1.2% TSB
Is it a viable tactic to start targeting defenders and goalkeepers who face Wolves? Bruno Lage’s side create very little going forward, meaning it could be a quiet day for West Ham’s Lukasz Fabianski and co in GW9. I fancy them for a clean sheet despite their struggles so far this season.
Defenders: Timothy Castagne – Leicester City – 1.1% TSB, Joel Matip – Liverpool – 0.9% TSB, Kenny Tete – Fulham – 0.5% TSB
Leicester have had a miserable time so far this season but it’s well documented that their fixtures are about to take a turn for the better. It’d take a brave man to back the Leicester defence in their current predicament but Timothy Castagne should offer some value going forward in the upcoming home derby against Nottingham Forest.
Joel Matip continues to represent a cheaper avenue into the Liverpool defence though an improvement in the defensive performance of Jurgen Klopp’s side is needed before managers invest heavily in it once more. Having said that, Kostas Tsimikas should also start this weekend against Brighton with Andy Robertson set to miss out through injury.
Meanwhile, Kenny Tete continues to fly somewhat under the radar in FPL. The full back is still only 0.5% rostered ahead of a nice run of fixtures despite assisting three times in the first seven weeks!
Midfielders: Jarrod Bowen – West Ham – 3.9% TSB, Brenden Aaronson – Leeds United – 1.5% TSB, Harvey Barnes – Leicester City – 1.1% TSB, Demarai Gray – Everton – 1.0% TSB, Luis Sinisterra – Leeds United – 0.8% TSB
It will come for Jarrod Bowen. It has to! This week will be the week against Wolves after he was incredibly unlucky not to get a return against Everton in GW7. He will be well rested and determined to show that last year was no fluke after a quiet international break.
Leeds pairing Brenden Aaronson and Luis Sinisterra are two to watch against an Aston Villa side who travel poorly this week, particularly the latter who bagged three times for Colombia on international duty this week and has scored six in his last six for club and country.
Harvey Barnes has barely got going this season (like his Leicester side) but he may be one to gamble on ahead of this extremely kind run of fixtures. A hot performance against a woeful Forest defence could see his price quickly skyrocket after this weekend. Demarai Gray rounds off the midfield after a dazzling display against West Ham in GW8 that was somehow not rewarded with a goal or assist.
Forwards: Jamie Vardy – Leicester City – 2.3% TSB, Dominic Solanke – Bournemouth – 0.6% TSB
See Castagne and Barnes! It hasn’t happened for Jamie Vardy this season, largely due to the failures of his own side and his own lack of opportunities. Leicester’s talisman has lost his place over the last couple of games with Patson Daka filling in well but I’d be surprised if he isn’t recalled to the starting lineup this week in a massive game for The Foxes. Vardy is, more often than not, the man for the big occasion and their GW9 clash with Forest is exactly that for many reasons.
If you’re active on Twitter, you’ll also have seen that Dominic Solanke as attracted some attention in recent weeks, again thanks to some kind upcoming fixtures. Despite an on and off start to the campaign, Solanke is still The Cherries talisman and if anyone is going to lead a more hopeful looking Bournemouth side to unlikely safety this season, it will be Big Dom!
Fantasy Football 92 