Inspiring Liverpool’s surge towards the top four and picking up a lot of points while they’re at it.
Gameweek 28 Review
Flooding a team with as many Spurs players as possible was a calculated gamble taken by many managers in Gameweek 28 and it paid off for some in handsome fashion.
Frankly, you were an eejit if you didn’t have that man Harry Kane in your team and as captain and as he’s been doing all season, Kane delivered the goods with two goals and 15 points to be the highest-scoring individual this week.
He was joined on that tally by Spurs team team-mate Andros Townsend, with Ryan Mason not far behind on 13 after a goal against Swansea and an assist against QPR.
Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson was the meat in that Spurs sandwich after collecting 14 points for his goal and assist against Burnley, although we can’t help but be worried by his rather vampire-ish appearance on the official Fantasy Premier League website.
It also proved to be a good week for Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke and Stoke’s Phil Bardsley with 12 points apiece and Ashley Young, Kieran Gibbs and Sadio Mané, all of whom managed 11 points.
Ireland’s Marc Wilson made an appearance thanks to an eight-point haul, as did Southampton’s Fraser Forster with a score of seven points.
J-League
Every single one of the top five in the J-League managed 85 points or more in Gameweek 28 and as a result, there was a bit of jostling for position as opposed to any sizeable impact in the top five.
Sean Kelly’s The Honey Badgers maintained top spot with a healthy 87-point haul, but John Cotter’s Iron Army dropped from second to fourth despite a haul of 85 points.
John was overtaken by the Mario Gotze-inspired pairing of Garry Doran’s What’s Love Gotze Do and Michael Ward’s I Gotze no idea after both managers managed in excess of 90 points.
Mark ‘tinkerman’ Elliott’s Gyfli Pleasures, meanwhile, prop up the top five with only five points to spare over the managers in sixth and seventh place.
J-League Top 5
- The Honey Badgers – Sean Kelly: 1,725 points
- What’s Love Gotze Do – Garry Doran: 1,714 points
- I Gotze no idea – Michael Ward: 1,713 points
- Iron Army – John Cotter: 1,710 points
- Gylfi Pleasures – Mark ‘tinkerman’ Elliott: 1,707 points
Hendo and Coutinho, Liverpool’s deadly duo
With 29 points taken from a possible 33 in the last 11 league games, Liverpool are, in a phrase that seems appropriate given the return of Zoolander this week, so hot right now.
As a unit, the Reds are showing the sort of form they displayed at the same stage last season, but as was the case with Suarez and Sturridge last season, certain individuals are flourishing within that unit.
Since Christmas, stand-in and soon to be regular captain Jordan Henderson and the little magician in midfield, Philippe Coutinho, have been Liverpool’s shining lights.
Since the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford that Brendan Rodgers has identified as a turning point, Henderson, for example, has two goals and five assists in the league alone.
Granted, those stats aren’t spectacular, but they start to look better when you add 10 bonus points into the mix and consider that he’s still available for just £6.3 million.
Coutinho has been more obviously effective than his captain of late, scoring spectacular efforts against both Southampton and Manchester City and generally causing havoc in opposition defences.
The Brazilian has less points than Henderson this season but his form since the aforementioned defeat to Manchester United has been spectacular.
Up to and including that game, Coutinho had registered only a single goal and zero assists in the league. Since then, he’s bagged three goals and five assists, he’s collected 12 bonus points and has scored 10 points or more on four occasions.
Of all the top four contenders at the moment, Liverpool are in the best form and there has been nothing to suggest that it’s going to come to an end soon or that their dynamic duo in midfield are going to stop producing the goods anytime soon.
Something to consider for Fantasy Football managers as squeaky bum time edges ever closer.
JOE’s Fantasy Football Picks
Top Dollar: David Silva (£9.7 million). It’s hard to know what to expect from Manchester City of late but Silva normally produces the goods and he’s on a run of four goals, two assists and 44 points in the last six league outings.
Mid-Range: Philippe Coutinho (£7.9 million). As flagged above, the Brazilian has been in superb form of late, with two goals, two assists and 37 points in his last six games.
Bargain Basement: Craig Dawson (£4.5 million). We knew Tony Pulis would make West Brom solid at the back eventually and Dawson played every minute in a defence that kept three clean sheets in three games before defeat to Aston Villa last time out.
Irish Pick: Marc Wilson (£4.3 million). Stoke have been quietly creeping up the table without anyone really taking notice and Wilson has played 90 minutes in each of the last three games, keeping two clean sheets and scoring 19 points in the process.
Captain’s Pick: Eden Hazard (£10.8 million). Chelsea were poor in defeat to PSG during the week but Hazard certainly wasn’t to blame and he’s on a run of two goals, two assists and 39 points in his last five league games.
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