Fantasy Premier League: Bournemouth and Luton players gain popularity
The previous weekend did not prove to be a decisive one. Erling Haaland (14.5) managed to get on the scoresheet at the very end of the Manchester derby, giving him the bare minimum return as captain. Bukayo Saka (9.2) didn't disappoint either, though, as despite not scoring in Arsenal's 6-0 win over Sheffield United, he recorded two assists, putting him marginally ahead of the Norwegian. Now, however, the captaincy may look a little different.
Who to captain?
For probably the first time this season, with Haaland fully fit and ready to play, someone else will be the prime candidate to be entrusted with the captain's armband. After all, you can't underestimate Dominic Solanke (7.1), who is one of the Premier League's top scorers this season. Solanke is the clear star of his team, and most importantly, is playing two games this week - against Sheffield United and Luton.
The former have only just shipped six goals against Arsenal, and have conceded a staggering amount of goals in the last few weeks. Chris Wilder's team will be close to registering the worst record in terms of goals conceded in a single Premier League season, so Solanke will certainly be able to take advantage of that.
Luton, on the other hand, play eye-catching football, but that can often be to the detriment of their defence. This provides another reason why Solanke is sure to be the most popular option for captain.
However, if you don't own Solanke, the standard option for captain remains Haaland. The Norwegian is admittedly playing one of the toughest games of the season as Manchester City face Liverpool, but of course, the Citizens are not afraid of any opponent and Haaland will be as threatening as ever.
What's beyond that? Well, Saka's participation against Brentford is uncertain as the Englishman is struggling with a mild injury and Tottenham face Aston Villa on Sunday. This, of course, does not take away the scoring chances of Ollie Watkins (9.0) or Heung-Min Son (9.8), but nevertheless limits the likelihood of them registering a big haul.
How do you strategically plan your line-up?
In this round, only Bournemouth and Luton play two games. In a week's time, there will only be four games in the Premier League, as I wrote more extensively about in my previous FPL piece on Flashscore. This is worth taking into account.
Of course, the transfers you make are dependent on your chips, and here I mean having Free Hit and Wildcard still available. Players who can still use them have more room to manoeuvre and more variables to analyse. Those who no longer have these options, on the other hand, play with their hands somewhat tied.
This round, it's definitely worth investing in Bournemouth to have at least one Cherries player in the squad. They have a really good schedule and it is worth taking advantage of that. Obviously Solanke is the priority, but Illie Zabarnyi (4.4), who has been playing all season, could get a clean sheet, and the in-form Antoine Semenyo (4.5) is also worth checking out.
Another priority is targeting Luton players, who are the only team to play as many as three games in the next two rounds. Especially when you note that they will play against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.
Of course, that doesn't mean we should be buying as many Luton players as possible. For example, there's no point in buying Luton defenders who have kept just two clean sheets this season, although the likes of Carlton Morris (5.1) are worth keeping an eye on. Ross Barkley (5.0) could also be a sensible choice.
Who to buy?
Jarrod Bowen (7.9) - Three goals two rounds ago, an assist last weekend, and now a home game against a weak Burnley side followed by an encounter with Aston Villa. I know I'm repeating myself, but if you don't know what move to make in the transfer market, just buy Bowen and you won't regret it. Even if it doesn't work out, you won't be alone as many players will have him in the squad this weekend.
Rodrigo Muniz (4.5) - Not an obvious option, but one that can pay dividends in FPL. The Brazilian has been a real revelation in recent weeks in the Premier League, although because he plays for Fulham, he doesn't get enough attention. He has recorded five goals and an assist in the last five rounds, with Wolves and Tottenham up next. After the international break, their schedule also looks very attractive. And he only costs 4.5 million!
Radim Horak (one of the best Czechs playing in the Fantasy Premier League)
Neto (4.6) - Antonio Iraola's side will face Sheffield United and Luton at home - two relegation candidates. Although Luton have been playing good football in recent weeks, I expect a lot of points for the Brazilian due to saves and potential clean sheets.
Surprisingly, the Cherries are among the teams with the best defensive record this season, and Neto has also scored bonus points in five of the six games in which Bournemouth have kept a clean sheet. A good schedule from the 30th round onwards is also a reason to buy him.
Alfie Doughty (4.7) - On the other hand, FPL players who can't take advantage of a chip in the 29th round should be focusing on Luton players right now. It's hard to expect clean sheets from Rob Edwards' team, so with the defenders, I'd focus on their offensive potential.
Left-back Alfie Doughty is certainly one of them. Since the festive period, he has been one of the most productive defenders in the Premier League as he has created as many as 17 goalscoring chances in the last six rounds; by far the best among defenders.
Last week, he also secured his eighth assist of the league season. Luton's next fixtures are Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest. Tempting
Carlton Morris (5.1) - Amongst the strikers, Dominic Solanke is definitely the number one candidate for the captain's armband. Right behind him, however, is Carlton Morris. He has scored four goals in his last five games and now faces trips to Palace and Bournemouth. If you don't have a Free Hit or Wildcard, Morris is an option as a short-term replacement for Haaland, who is playing at Anfield against Liverpool and doesn't have a game of his own in a week.
In that period, Luton will play three times. The money saved could also be used to buy Mohamed Salah after the next round. I believe the Englishman will continue his form and add to the eight goals he has already scored.
