EPL Grind Down: Gameweek 8

by Hesh Hambazaza (hambazaza) Last Updated 2017-01-11 20:06:34

Arsenal vs Swansea

Arsenal						Swansea
				Vegas Odds						Vegas Odds
				-357						1163
				D W W W W W						L L D L L L
				5-1-1						1-1-5
Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm	Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm
15.00	5.00	10.57	6.29	19.71	17.71	12.14	3.86	16.86	10.71	22.86	21.57
Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks		Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks
Walcott, Cazorla,  Sanchez		Sanchez, Cazorla, Chambers, Walcott		Cazorla, Sanchez, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain		Sigurdsson		Sigurdsson		Sigurdsson, Routledge, Stephen Kingsley

Bob Bradley is now the newly hired manager for the Welsh club, and it’s still unknown how the team will adapt to a new style, and how Bradley will adapt to life in the Premier League. It doesn’t start easy as Swansea begin their new #BradleyLife visiting the Gunners in what the bookies are labeling as the most lopsided matchup this weekend. This will no doubt affect how we tackle this match as we might want to consider multiple options from the Gunners, while simultaneously avoiding most Swansea players outright.

Arsenal Top Plays

Alexis Sanchez, Forward, $10,100 – We’re starting off with the potential top play on the board today. Sanchez is coming off a long trip to South America where he helped Chile come away with a victory and a defeat. He didn’t score in either matchup. Chile looked somewhat out of sorts in their first matchup with Ecuador, losing 0-3, but righted the ship with a 2-1 against Peru. Sanchez did play the full 180 minutes, so I would be skeptical of him playing the full 90 here, but he does offer such a high floor if he does start that I would consider him a strong play even if he only plays 60-75 minutes this weekend. Arsenal do have a Champions League matchup on Wednesday of this week where they’ll be looking to put away Ludogoretz. Sanchez comes in as one of our more likely goal scorers this week, and for that, it’ll be worth paying up for him in this matchup.

Theo Walcott, Midfielder/Forward, $8,100 – If you’re wanting to go cheaper, or just wish to stack this Arsenal game, then Walcott should be on your radar. He’s been playing the winger position and has shown some affinity for taking shots. He’s got 5 goals on the season and looks to add to that tally this week against a Swansea side that has just 1 point in their last 6 matches.

Arsenal Secondary Plays

Hector Bellerin, Defender, $5,200 – 5.2K is a bit steep for a defender, but Bellerin has been playing in an advanced winger position even though he’s starting at full back. He has the opportunities to go up and support the attack and with a team that is likely to dominate possession Bellerin should get his fair share of chances to contribute to the Arsenal attack.

Santi Cazorla, Midfielder, $7,800 – You won’t be getting value on this arsenal squad as every player that has fantasy appeal is going to be priced accordingly. Cazorla does provide some interesting potential though. He should be the main crosser of the ball and will likely take the corners for this team. Cazorla is also on penalty kick duties which gives him a high ceiling if Arsenal do win a penalty opportunity.

Swansea Top Plays

None

Swansea Secondary Plays

Gylfi Sigurdsson, Midfielder, $9,000 – Gylfi is a GPP option only. In a matchup against a tough Arsenal squad, Sigurdsson will be the focal of whatever attack Swansea can muster. It’ll be interesting to see what strategy Bradley employs in this matchup. If he continues with the same formation/attacking strategy as before, then Sigurdsson will be the fulcrum of the offense with the potential for crosses, and goals since he’s on penalty kick duty. However, I expect that Bradley will change things slightly in favor of a more conservative approach and try to come out of the Emirates with at least a good showing and maybe even a point from a draw.

Bournemouth vs Hull

Bournemouth						Hull
				Vegas Odds						Vegas Odds
				-118						400
				L D W L W D						W L D L L L
				2-2-3						2-1-4
Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm	Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm
9.86	3.14	16.14	9.29	17.57	21.71	8.71	2.71	23.00	12.14	13.00	24.43
Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks		Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks
Wilson, Daniels,  Stanislas		Ibe, Arter, Gradel		King, Fraser, Gradel, Stanislas, Daniels		Hernandez, Snodgrass		Snodgrass		Snodgrass, Huddlestone

In a matchup between two bottom half teams, Bournemouth should have the upper hand here as the home squad playing host to a Hull City team that hasn’t had a win since gameweek 2 against Swansea. Hull did go through a tough run against some top flight teams, and while they weren’t expected to pull off any miracles, the run of bad losses probably affected the team morale going into this one. Bournemouth on the other hand come into this one having earned a draw against Watford on the road, and that comes just one week after beating Everton at home. Bournemouth have played much better at home this season than on the road and the results show it with both their wins coming at home. Bournemouth should win a close one in a game that might not see a whole lot of fantasy appeal.

Bournemouth Top Plays

Junior Stanislas, Midfielder, $6,400 – He’s the main open-play crosser on this team and probably their main source for fantasy production (and most reliable.) Another option to consider is Charlie Daniels (Defender, $5,000) who is the penalty kick taker. However, when Bournemouth are on the attack, Stanislas is one of the main players to target as he has a high enough floor to provide some decent value for cash and tournament rosters. The biggest issue with Stanislas is that this match might end up being a slow one without many goals. Which limits his upside a little bit compared to other players in different matches.

Bournemouth Secondary Plays

Callum Wilson, Forward, $6,800 – Targeting the Bournemouth forward in GPPs should pay off eventually as Wilson started last season in top form scoring 5 goals in 7 matches before missing the majority of the remainder with an injury. So far this season he has two goals already including a goal against Watford last week. Wilson is still very cheap for a player capable of scoring a hat-trick in the right matchup. I’m not saying he’s going to score a hat-trick, but he has the upside of at least one goal along with a few shots.

Hull Top Plays

None

Hull Secondary Plays

Robert Snodgrass, Midfielder, $7,000 – Snodgrass has been a bright spot in this Hull team who have had a tumultuous early season. The team is still undermanned and still relying heavily on their players that are healthy and eligible to play. Snodgrass does provide some good opportunities. What makes Snodgrass interesting in this matchup with Bournemouth is that they allow 50% more chances and crosses from the right side of the field which is where Snodgrass likes to operate. Which allows him the opportunity to deliver multiple crosses and shots. He’s worth a low owned GPP selection for being the penalty kick taker for the Tigers along with being the focus of their offense.

Manchester City vs Everton

Manchester City						Everton
				Vegas Odds						Vegas Odds
				-207						623
				W W W W W L						W W W W L D
				6-0-1						4-2-1
Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm	Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm
16.86	6.00	10.14	5.71	15.86	17.86	14.71	5.57	10.43	5.14	20.57	19.00
Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks		Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks
						Baines, Barkley, Mirallas		Barkley, Mirallas, Baines, Deulofeu		Mirallas, Baines,  Barkley, Deulofeu

This might be the most anticipated matchup in this Saturday slate with Manchester City taking on Everton at home. Everton have had a bad run in the last two weeks with a loss to Bournemouth on the road and a draw with Crystal Palace at home shaking things up after a solid start to the season. City on the other hand are coming off their first loss under new manager Pep Guardiola to Tottenham and will be trying to right the ship. City were exposed by a midfield that sits high and puts the pressure on the defenders to step up. This caused them to fall back on their heels and had them exposed to the Spurs attack which ultimately resulted in two goals for the hosts. This match should be an interesting one. City are favorites. There should be some goals in this one, not too many but enough to make you consider some options from both sides.

Manchester City Top Plays

David Silva, Midfielder, $8,700 – There will be some interest in the City midfielder with Kevin De Bruyne missing out and with Sterling being questionable with an injury. Moreover, Nolito comes back after a three week suspension. Will he be rusty? That means the most reliable midfielder on this squad would be David Silva. I don’t expect a lot of crosses in this one as the play will not be open to the wings, instead, each team will try to break through via quick passing and penetration down the middle. Silva works best in these matches where he can display his creativity. Silva will test the discipline of this Everton defense. If he starts, then Jesus Navas is another option to consider as is Nolito (despite being a bit higher priced)

Manchester City Secondary Plays

Sergio Aguero, Forward, $10,800 – If City score goals, then Aguero should be the most likely goal scorer among that group. Aguero does have some demons to exorcise this week after failing to score for his country this past week in world cup qualification. Not only that, but he missed another penalty kick which is not the first time this season he’s done so. Along with the long trip from South America, and the fact that City play Barcelona this week make Aguero unlikely to play a full 90 minutes which firmly cements him in my “secondary” options this week.

Pablo Zabaleta, Defender, $4,100 – With the injury and prolonged absence of Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta comes back into the starting XI for the Citizens. Zabaleta is cheap enough to warrant consideration in both cash and tournament teams. He will assist in the attack and will get a few crosses and might get a shot or two.

Everton Top Plays

Yannick Bolasie, Midfielder/Forward, $7,400 – Everton are a team that puts a lot of pressure on the opponents through their midfielders. Bolasie has been great for his new team this season as he’s been delivering open play crosses. He’s on the road this match against a team that doesn’t allow teams to cross the ball a ton, but he is still going to try to control the midfield. He might try to take advantage of a potentially distracted/weakened City team as they look to Wednesday’s matchup with Barca. Bolasie takes long distance shots as 8 of his 11 shots this season so far have been from out of the box, so he’ll probably keep trying to beat the keeper from far away. He’s also going to deliver crosses and take shots for his team when given the opportunity. He has a decently high enough floor to make it into your cash teams, however, there are some better suitable options making him a better tournament option.

Everton Secondary Plays

Romelu Lukaku, Forward, $8,500 – he has 8 goals in five of his last six matches across all competitions. Lukaku is hot, and when he’s hot, nobody in the league is better than him. If this turns into a shootout (it could), then Lukaku is almost 2K cheaper than his counterpart on the other team Sergio Aguero that puts him in a great position to be on a gpp winning team. Will he score multiple goals? While possible, it is unlikely. I know that I will have exposure to him on some teams.

Stoke vs Sunderland

Stoke						Sunderland
				Vegas Odds						Vegas Odds
				102						309
				L L L L D D						L D L L L D
				0-3-4						0-2-5
Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm	Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm
10.57	2.57	16.00	10.14	19.86	22.71	9.29	2.71	18.43	9.71	16.71	21.29
Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks		Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks
Bojan, Arnautovic, Adam, Walters		Adam, Shaqiri, Arnautovic, Ireland		Bojan, Shaqiri, Adam, Affelay, Ireland,  Arnautovic.		Borini, Defoe, Watmore		Khazri, Van Aanholt		Khazri, Januzaj, Gooch, van Aanholt

After conceding 13 goals in 4 matches, Stoke managed to come away with two points in their last two matches with a pair of 1-1 draws signaling a potential turnaround in their performances. It’s worth noting that this change coincided with the return of Xherdan Shaqiri who does well to command the midfield and put this team in a good position offensively. They face Sunderland this week, in what should end up being a Stoke City dominating performance. Sunderland are facing some injury concerns. Lee Cattermole is out, along with Denayer, and Kone faces a late fitness test, meaning that Sunderland will be depleted at the back. With this matchup being in Stoke, expect the home team to thrive and to take advantage of a weak visiting club coming into town.

Stoke Top Plays

Xherdan Shaqiri, Midfielder, $7,300 Shaqiri will likely be very highly owned this week as one of the top players on a team facing the worst team in the league. Of course, Stoke is currently the second worst team in the table, but the majority of these games were without Shaqiri. Now that Shaq is back, he’s going to be the main set piece taker, crosser, and potential penalty kick taker. Shaqiri is low enough in price that he should be on your cash teams, and you probably should be wary of fading him in tournaments.

Phil Bardsley, Defender, $3,100 – Bardsley gets the start this week because of injuries that this team is facing at the back. Bardsley has some cross, tackle, interception potential and for a cheap price tag of just $3,100 he’s going to be in all my lineups this weekend. You shouldn’t overthink it, just plug and play him and move on.

Stoke Secondary Plays

Joe Allen, Midfielder, Midfielder, $5,500 – Joe Allen might not get the start this week due to an injury that has kept him from practicing this week. However, if he does start, he should slot in the attacking midfielder position which gives him excellent opportunity and positioning to score or assist on a goal. Allen is cheap enough to take a chance on in a GPP. You can also try to target Wilfried Bony (who I almost wrote up here) but the fear with Bony is that he hasn’t quite looked like the same forward that was on Swansea early last season before his January transfer to Manchester City.

Sunderland Top Plays

None

Sunderland Secondary Plays

Jermaine Defoe, Forward, $7,900 – Defoe is a very talented forward who can score some goals in an instant if given any room. He’s going to play the full 90 if he gets the start and he has four goals in seven matches so far this season which makes him the highest scoring player on this Sunderland team. He’s a GPP play only.

Jordan Pickford, Goalkeeper, $4,400 – There was some discussion in the forums this week about targeting cheap goalkeepers. It got me thinking about Pickford as a potential goalkeeper to target this week. He’s cheap enough, but he’s on the road which makes him less of an interest to me. However, he might face enough supply to get a few saves and with a 25% chance to win (According to bookie odds) means he has a slight chance at getting a decent point haul this week.

West Brom vs Tottenham

West Brom						Tottenham
				Vegas Odds						Vegas Odds
				434						-133
				L D L W D D						W D W W W W
				2-3-2						5-2-0
Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm	Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm
11.86	3.86	12.57	8.57	18.86	22.43	18.14	6.00	10.86	6.43	19.71	14.71
Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks		Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks
Berahino, Rondon, Gardner		Gardner, Rondon, McClean		Brunt, Gardner, McClean, Berahino		Kane, Chadli		Eriksen, Lamela, Kane, Walker		Eriksen, Lamela

Tottenham go visit The Hawthorn’s this week with an eye on their Champions League matchup with Bayer Leverkusen. This could mean an altered starting lineup for the Spurs, as they face a stubborn West Brom squad that refuses to lose. West Brom have three draws and two wins so far this season and Tony Pulis’ side have found their way to the back of the net in all except for two of their games this season. Tottenham on the other hand might be one of the best sides in Europe after beating Manchester City last time out and will look to continue their chase to the top of the table being only in 2nd place and behind by two points. All three points are vital here for both teams, but you have to imagine that the Spurs have the quality to overcome a tough home side or at least keep them under pressure during a large portion of the match.

West Brom Top Plays

James McClean, Midfielder, $5,800 – This match has the most players I want to roster. It’ll be very difficult to not stack several players from this team with lots of action expected. McClean makes for a good cash play in a matchup at home. The matchup isn’t great as Tottenham have been a really good defensive team having conceded only 3 times this season. However, McClean’s value doesn’t come from goals however, but from crosses and corners. He’s cheap enough to target and would still allow you to get more players on your team that you really want without hurting you and with the potential of goals or assists if things line up right.

Ben Foster, Goalkeeper, $4,100 – So Foster is a risky play this week, but opponents of Tottenham this season have 30 saves on 42 shots which means they have a net positive. The save totals range from 3 saves up to 8. In fact, they forced Claudio Bravo into making 6 saves last match. Foster is a good keeper and has the potential to lead the slate in saves, and if he can keep out a good majority of the shots he faces, he then can be the top keeper on the slate. But for just $4,100 he’s worth the risk especially at home.

West Brom Secondary Plays

Nacer Chadli, Midfielder/Forward, $6,600 – REVENGE! Chadli couldn’t make room for himself on Tottenham last season and he ended up moving to West Brom, and he has since made his mark. The team is now more open offensively without sacrificing much on the defensive end, and I will look for Chadli to be the anchor of some GPP teams. Chadli wants to prove his abilities against Pochettino this week and show him that they could have used him this season with their hectic schedule and beginning of the tumultuous portion of their schedule. Chadli can take penalties, shots and crosses. He’s a very capable offensive player with tremendous skill and creativity. He’s still priced lower than his ability and his role on this team which makes him somewhat of a value play here.

Tottenham Top Plays

Hueng-Min Son, Midfielder/Forward, $7,600 – Here comes the Son. Son’s price has risen again, but he’s still going to be high owned given what he’s been doing. Son has just 2 single digit fantasy outing this season and has six goals including a goal against Qatar last week in Asian World Cup qualification. Son comes into this match having already proven himself on this squad. The only risk here is that he may be rested in order to prepare for a matchup against Bayer Leverkusen this week, however, I think he still gets the start.

Danny Rose, Defender, $5,700 – One underrated GPP move is targeting the expensive full backs like Danny Rose. Rose has been one of the most consistent performers on this Tottenham team with his ability to get crosses, shots, tackles and interceptions. He’s very highly priced which makes it very difficult to fit him in and get more players you like. However, it is possible and if he gets a goal (he has 1 this season already), then you’re sitting in very good shape as long as you pick the rest of your team well enough.

Tottenham Secondary Plays

None

Crystal Palace vs West Ham

Crystal Palace						West Ham
				Vegas Odds						Vegas Odds
				119						256
				L D W W W D						W L L L L D
				3-2-2						1-1-5
Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm	Sh/Gm	SoT/Game	Shots A/Gm	Shots A in box /Gm	Cross/Gm	Cross A/Gm
15.00	3.86	12.86	7.29	28.29	23.14	15.14	2.57	13.43	9.86	19.86	16.29
Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks		Penalties		Direct Free Kicks		Corners & Indirect Free Kicks
Cabaye, Gayle, Wickham		Cabaye, Puncheon, Jedinak, Ward, Delaney		Townsend, Puncheon, Cabaye, Ledley		Noble, Carroll		Payet, Zarate, Noble, Cresswell, Valencia		Payet, Zarate, Lanzini, Noble, Cresswell,

Crystal Palace have taken care of business this season, with the exception of their home opener against West Brom (a 1-0 loss), they’ve gotten points from every single match they should have gotten points from. They come into this week’s fixture on the heels of a five match unbeaten run with 3 wins and 2 draws (including an impressive 1-1 draw at Everton). Their opponent on the other hand is the struggling West Ham. The Hammers are having a very tough season as they have just a single win (against Bournemouth, week 2), and have conceded SEVENTEEN Goals so far this season. That defensive ineptitude has put the pressure on their manager who is now fighting for his job, and the expectation is that the team needs to change their ways if they are to get out of the relegation zone in which they are currently entrenched in 18th place with just 4 points.

Crystal Palace Top Plays

Andros Townsend, Midfielder, $8,500 – Townsend is the premier cash play of the week. He’s at home. He’s got a floor of at least 10-16 fantasy points. He is playing on a team that should control possession and he is a potential goal scoring threat with at least 3 shots taken every week for the last few weeks but just one goal on the season. Townsend has big potential this week against a West Ham team that has conceded plenty of goals this season already (17 so far, worst in the league).

Christian Benteke, Forward, $8,200 – Benteke comes into this match after scoring a hat-trick for Belgium on Monday against Gibraltar. This matchup is a bit tougher than one against Gibraltar in which Belgium hung six goals on the hapless nation. Benteke has a ceiling of a hat-trick, and has had a good run of games where he’s scored goals in four of the last five games he’s started. Of course, he also has a floor of -3 fantasy points which he achieved in the fifth game. So he doesn’t come without his warts. However, given the opposition, and his recent trend upwards, he’s a virtual lock to be a solid contributor this week against West Ham.

Crystal Palace Secondary Plays

Jason Puncheon, Midfielder, $6,700 – If Palace were to hang a few goals on the Hammers, then expect Puncheon to be part of that barrage. Puncheon specializes in open play crosses (even if they aren’t all that accurate), but that sets up a simple floor for him of 6-10 fantasy points. And if this match ends up with several goals then Puncheon could be part of that with either a goal or assist.

West Ham Top Plays

Michail Antonio, Midfielder/Forward, $8,300 – If you’re going to believe that this matchup delivers some goals then Antonio is a good way to get some exposure to this attack. Antonio is one of the best headers in Europe and he has one of the best (if not the best) crossing winger on his team. He’s facing a team that has conceded an above average amount of headers, crosses and chances from set plays. All of which are factors that favor Antonio and Payet combining for another score this week.

Dimitri Payet, Midfielder, $10,000 – See above, but moreover, Payet has led the league in chances created in the last four weeks and is currently second to only Kevin De Bruyne in assists but has played one fewer match than KDB. Payet is expensive, so he makes for a difficult player to fit in your teams, however, he’s a very talented midfielder that his floor is so high and his ceiling is higher he can reach value. Moreover, him playing in the single late game adds an element of “late game hammer” that is always fun when sweating some games Saturday morning.

West Ham Secondary Plays

Aaron Cresswell, Defender, $3,900 – Cresswell is back for his first game this season after having missed the first seven matches with injury. His price is still very low considering his potential. If he returns to his form from last season he should be a key player to target while his price remains below $4.5K. He’s not a cash play, but he makes for a cheap tournament option to consider when building your lineups.