FFMAG: Edition 6 (Preview)

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NOVEMBER 2017

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TACTICS: WATFORD'S WINNING WAYS THE DEFINITIVE CLEAN SHEET STUDY

R E B M E V MO

S S E N D A M

EGERSDORFF

MLN

Your New Favourite Fantasy Game

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Building on a positive start

OCTOBER ANALYSIS COMMON GOAL FORMER BUDGET GEMS

FANTASY FOOTBALL MAGAZINE

FOREWORD nderstanding the why, not the what, has always been a stalwart of FFMAG’s content.

City have now recorded the best ever start to a Premier League campaign but why? Richarlison looks like a great budget midfielder - but why? As the months grow colder and the season transitions from developing child to stroppy teenager, it becomes all the more important to appreciate the why.

It can be the difference between joining a bandwagon too late and spotting one before it leaves the station.

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DIRECTOR

Jamie Reeves MANAGING EDITOR

James Copeland CFO

Aleksandar Rosnev LAYOUT DESIGN

Mirko Nestorović SUB EDITORS

Jack Sexton, Clarke Hutchison & Kat Mortensen SOCIAL MEDIA

Mark McGettigan

In this Edition, you’ll find lots of studies and analysis created with this philosophy at its heart. As you might’ve noticed by the front cover, we’ve also taken the opportunity to celebrate some of our favourite charities, and sincerely hope you’ll take some time between your tinkering to check them out.

The more attentive among you might’ve noticed a slight delay with the release of this Edition. Don’t worry, we’re not getting slack. Instead, for the sake of some of our studies, we felt it necessary to see out the events of Gameweek 11 before finalising our analysis. It means this FFMAG is as up-to-date as you’d expect from us. We hope you’ll let us off.

It’s become apparent that whilst the last 11 gameweeks took place across 86 days, the next 11 gameweeks will take place across 46 days. It’s going to be a fast-paced and challenging period, but rest assured, FFMAG will be there every step of the way.

The FFMAG Team

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CONTENT 6 10 12 18

Egersdorff‘s Review: A diary of the best FPL manager My Little Nuts: Your new favourite fantasy game Analysing Watford: Silva’s Europa League contenders Why do you play? Analysing FPL’s growing popularity

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Threadcount: The definitive clean sheet analysis Budget Gems: A tribute to the most prolific budget strikers Common Goal: The fantasy team of world-changers Fixture Trackers: Forecasting November’s goals & clean sheets.

OCTOBER TEAM OF THE MONTH O

DE GEA MAN UTD

19 PTS

OTAMENDI

JONES

KOLASINAC

MAN CITY

MAN UTD

ARSENAL

16

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16

ctober was the month of the midfielder and, subsequently, we’ve been left with a monthly dream

team that could pass as both a casual’s FPL team or a hipster's FIFA Ultimate Team. Man City players flood the lineup joined by surprise inclusions that range from Glenn Murray to Fernandinho. The defence is premium, so it’d be fair to assume that Uwe Hünemeier and Angel Rangel are warming the hypothetical bench.

PTS

PTS

PTS

SANE

RAMSEY

FERNANDINHO

MAHREZ

STERLING

MAN CITY

ARSENAL

MAN CITY

LEICESTER CITY

MAN CITY

34

21

22

24

22

PTS

PTS

PTS

PTS

PTS

GW TOP SCORERS GAMEWEEK 8 GAMEWEEK 9 GAMEWEEK 10

STERLING MAN CITY 15 PTS KANE TOTTENHAM 16 PTS KOLASINAC ARSENAL 14 PTS

MURRAY, SANE → ASSISTS DE BRUYNE, GROSS, SANE → BONUS DE GEA, MURRAY, OZIL, RAMSEY, SANE → SHOTS KANE → SHOTS ON TARGET SALAH → BIG CHANCES CREATED STERLING → PENALTY BOX TOUCHES SANE → HEADED GOAL ATTEMPTS CALVERT-LEWIN → SUCCESSFUL CROSSES BRADY GOALS

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ABRAHAM

BRIGHTON

SWANSEA CITY

21

20

PTS

OCTOBER PLAYER STATISTICS →

MURRAY

PTS

OCTOBER TEAM STATISTICS 3 3 4 13 7 4 37 5 9

MAN CITY 13 → LEAST GOALS SCORED BOURNEMOUTH, BURNLEY, HUDDERSFIELD, MAN UNITED 2 → CLEAN SHEETS MAN UNITED, LIVERPOOL 2 → MOST GOALS CONCEDED STOKE 9 → SHOTS ON TARGET MAN CITY 26 → SHOTS CONCEDED EVERTON 51 → CHANCES CREATED ARSENAL 44 → CHANCES CONCEDED BOURNEMOUTH 39 → SET PLAY ATTEMPTS CRYSTAL PALACE 16 →

GOALS SCORED

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OCTOBER IN A N What can we take from last month’s action?

A DEFENCE UNITED are yet to concede a goal at  United Old Trafford and secured 7 clean

sheets in their opening 8 fixtures. Prior to this season, their best ever start to a campaign in terms of clean sheets was recorded in the 1997/98 campaign - conceding a solitary goal in their opening seven matches. 25, 20, 22, 18, 17, 17. These are not the latest lottery numbers, they are the number of clean sheets Jose Mourinho has secured in his six full seasons of management in the Premier League. There’s no argument that his backline is his most valuable asset and some of your most valuable assets for FPL. Phil Jones, initially £5.0, is still underpriced at £5.5, having benefited from Mourinho’s regime.

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CLAUDE PUEL’S TIGERS

Claude Puel PICTURE BY: NIGEL FRENCH/EMPICS SPORT

looks to have freed the Foxes from their trap

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Shakespeare was relieved of his  Craig duties after a poor start to the sea-

son that saw Leicester take just six points from their opening eight games. His replacement Claude Puel hit the ground running with important back-to-back wins against Swansea and Everton and it would seem that Leicester players are now an option once more. Judging by his time at Southampton, his conservative counter-attacking approach will see the Tigers register more clean sheets. Use November as a time to scout their team and select the right player to transfer in for their good run of fixtures in December.

NOVEMBER 2017

EDITION 6

NUTSHELL

GLENN MURRAY’S TRANSITIONAL VALUE 2 of FFMAG, we published  InanEdition article that analysed the transi-

tional value of Championship players to the Premier League. Glenn Murray was a particular topic of conversation as the experienced striker returned to the top flight with 23 goals during Brighton’s promotion season. Murray was highlighted as a player that could transition well based on the fact his playing style is similar to those who have transitioned well in the past (Holt (10-11), Lambert (11-12), Austin (13-14), Deeney (14-15). He averaged a goal per game in October and our pre-season research suggests that he could offer an element of consistency going forward.

RETURN OF THE MANE

PICTURE BY: PETER BYRNE/PA WIRE/PA IMAGES

before Liverpool fans ador Months ably voted Dejan Lovren as joint

player of the month for October, shared with Mo Salah, life was more straightforward for the Reds.

Sadio Mane started, he scored goals, Liverpool won. But Mane’s Capoeira kick on Ederson was catalytic for a tailspin which saw Liverpool crash out the title race and turn the once great skill of defending into some ludicrous performance art. However, the one constant throughout was Salah: the Egyptian picked up the slack in Mane’s absence with key goals against Burnley and Leicester, and with Mane poised to reenergise Liverpool’s dynamic attack, there’s a case for owning both forwards (generously classed as midfielders). An expensive pair, for sure, but an explosive duo both capable of regular double-figure hauls.

EVERTON’S RESURGENCE

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ended with Everton boss  October Ronald Koeman becoming the third

Is FPL favourite Leighton Baines a viable option once more?

THE RAMSEY RENAISSANCE Ramsey’s lethargic imperson Aaron ation of a centre midfielder was right-

fully vilified in Arsenal’s 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in August, yet here we are two months later and the Welshman is now a viable FPL budget midfielder. Football’s a funny old game. Ramsey ended October with a goal and two assists in two games, and is quite often the highest point of attack when Ar-

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senal break forward, a sight reminiscent of Ramsey’s spectacular 2013/14 antics when he scored 10 and assisted 9 league goals, belying his paltry £5.5m price tag. So could the renaissance be on? Well, at this stage of the 2013/14 season Ramsey had 6 goals and 4 assists, and played with less defensive responsibility, but only Lacazette has more goals than Ramsey this season for Arsenal and no one has more assists. A poundshop Sanchez, Ramsey is the Gunners’ star attacking option.

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Premier League manager to get the axe, having only recorded two wins from their opening nine Premier League matches. The Dutchman leaves Everton inside the bottom three and without a win in Europe. Following his departure, lots of information was leaked highlighting the negative, oppressive atmosphere he brought to the club and players. The Toffees have a wealth of good FPL options in their side ranging from the proven Leighton Baines to the cheaply priced Oumar Niasse & Dominic CalvertLewin. Keep a close eye on how they respond to the sacking; if it seems positive, an Everton player could be worth a punt for their decent November fixtures. n

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Egersdorff’s R

THE DIARY OF THE BEST FPL P FFMAG guru James Egersdorff talks us through an October that saw him shoot up the overall rankings. If you want to learn the inner workings of an FPL genius, you’re in the right place.

hings have all gone to plan for the Costa Del Kuqi boys since I updated you in last month‘s edition. I‘m thrilled to be currently sat inside the top 2,000 overall and I'm hoping to build on this as we head towards the hectic Christmas schedule. Of course, this great start will count for nothing in May if I don‘t keep making the right calls. There‘s certainly some lessons of note from the last few gameweeks and I‘ve shared some of them within. I hope you‘ve all had a strong few gameweeks yourselves.

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Gameweek 7 THE BUILD UP I was heading into Gameweek 7 with a fairly settled squad and had planned to carry my transfer. This can be especially valuable when you‘re heading into an international break as it gives you some flexibility should you be hit by an injury crisis.

Alas, I woke up on the morning of the deadline not only hungover (I was on a stag-do in Portugal!) but also to find that Mendy had suffered a terrible knee injury and Aguero had been involved in a car crash. Terrible luck for both players as they‘d made such amazing starts to the campaign, but it meant that in my beerinduced state I needed to come up with a solution.

THE RESULT 75 points (-4). Kane (c) and Ben Davies brought some instant hangover relief with double-digit returns in the lunchtime kick off up at Huddersfield. Whilst

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the rest of the squad chipped in with some fairly average numbers, the contribution from the Spurs boys was enough for a decent overall points haul. Walker and Lukaku were the players to replace Mendy and Aguero; both of whom returned 6 points apiece which felt like a decent double transfer. Progressed to inside the top 73,000 overall.

Look to build a balanced squad don‘t be attracted by ‘big hitters’ just because they have some strong short term fixtures

THE LESSONS LEARNED  Have a plan but remember it might get

shredded in an instant. FPL is a fluid game and drama can occur right until the deadline. If you‘re under pressure to re-evaluate your plan then keep it simple and always go for the most risk-averse option.  Don‘t be afraid to take a -4 to replace injured stars. There‘s no point carrying high cost players as you need their value in your starting XI. If you do need to take a -4 then make sensible, solid transfer decisions and don‘t gamble on players because you have a ‘gut feeling’.  Try not to make your FPL decisions hungover! It sounds silly, but a clear mind is always better to make the right call.

Gameweek 8 THE BUILD UP Gameweek 8 saw a fairly straight-forward build up as all of my players returned from the international break unscathed. Sterling was about to embark on a nice run of fixtures and Mkhitaryan was off the boil slightly so in came the City man for their home game against Stoke. Kane took the armband again for their home tie with Bournemouth.

NOVEMBER 2017

EDITION 6

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