Week 29: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

Kevin Mirallas helped seal a victory against @cjradune with a goal against West Brom. Both our sides were missing players thanks to the F.A. Cup games, but C.J. was really set back when Raheem Sterling was rested. In the end I managed to field eight players to his five and win by over 18 points. That victory keeps my side in second place, nine points off leader @RotoZdroik.

Mirallas with a.... wait.... why is Morgan Schneiderlin wearing number 2??

This week the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer has decided that I need to face a side that has won four games on the trot. A team with a host of star players who all seem to be hitting form going into the last few months of the season. A team that is out for revenge after our match-up in Gameweek 10 saw my team triumph in a week where he would have beaten every other side in the league. That team, @FantasyYIRMA.

@FantasyYIRMA’s Team

Recent surgery to his side has seen @FantasyYIRMA acquire Jamie Vardy and Vincent Janssen in the Forward position. Vardy has rediscovered his scoring boots in Leicester City’s upturn in results, which has seen them get to the Champions League quarter finals. The Janssen pickup is probably due to the fact that Spurs will be without Harry Kane for a run of fixtures, and by the law of averages, they have to play someone up front. He could also call on Wayne Rooney in a pinch if the England captain is fit to return against Middlesbrough on Sunday. Rooney has five goals against Middlesbrough in his career to date.

Will Janssen start on the pitch or on the bench? Will we notice??

@FantasyYIRMA probably has one of the best Midfield trios in IEFSA at the moment, and they all have favourable fixtures this weekend. Juan Mata scored midweek in the Europa League. Dele Alli is YIRMA’s top scorer with 13 goals. Mesut Ozil of Arsenal will face a West Brom team that appears to have already booked their summer holidays, and are simply packing the bucket and spade for the beach at the moment. At the back all his defenders have home ties. Ashley Williams faces Hull City. Winston Reid gets to tackle Vardy and Leicester City. While Jonny Evans will have the headache of Ozil and Arsenal.

What I Need To Happen

Thankfully a number of @FantasyYIRMA’s players will face each other at the weekend and will hopefully take points off each other. His Goalkeeper will more than likely be Simon Mignolet for Liverpool, who play Man City away on Sunday. Mignolet has only four clean sheets this season and will be doing well to keep out City. Although City were held scoreless by Stoke City in their last home Premier League game. Trying to outscore YIRMA’s Midfield this week will be difficult. Joe Allen has a tough game against Chelsea. Jack Wilshere has found himself on the bench at Bournemouth of late. Ibrahim Afellay has still to break into the Stoke side. While Kevin Mirallas is always a 50-50 chance to start for Everton. The one bright spot could be the return from injury of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who may need to be the main play-maker for Man Utd this week.

A few players have injury red flags to worry about too. Leighton Baines went off at halftime in Everton’s last game. Marko Arnautovic missed Stoke City’s game against Man City, but is due to return against Chelsea. Speaking of Chelsea, Pedro could be a doubt to start again (isn’t he always), the Spaniard hasn’t completed the full ninety minutes in the league since January fourth. If Pedro does miss out, he could be replaced by Cesc Fabregas, who is currently sitting on @FantasyYIRMA’s bench, waiting to pounce.

Predictions

Seven from nine last time out, with leader@RotoZdroik scoring the highest total of the week. First plays third in the clash of the round this time out, as @FuzzyWarbles will be trying to cut into @RotoZdroik’s lead. To keep tabs on the action, please follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter. Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone.

@wrigavin over @cjradune

@TAMc10 over @SmokeyLoogy

@SportsByGotti ovr @RotoWireAndrew

@jforquer11 over @DFS_Hambazaza

@RotoZdroik over @FuzzyWarbles

@nealjthurman over @BenDinnery

@nikarg over @jwl_15

@TomSunderland_ over @jasonuk17

@EPL_MOstradamus over @TRKingston

Week 28: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

Okay, okay. I’ll hold my hand up! I got the bench players wrong last gameweek. You see, it’s not only Arsene Wenger who struggles to put his best starting eleven out onto the pitch. I took a chance that Jack Wilshere would get more points off the bench against Manchester United, than both Ibrahim Afellay and Kevin Mirallas. I was convinced our Jack would get a decent twenty minutes chasing a huffing and puffing Man U. Instead, Bournemouth went down to ten men and dug in, while Wilshere never left the bench. I was sure Mirallas would only scrape together a few points away at Spurs. He got an assist. Because of these miscalculations, I lost to @TAMc10 by three and a half points.

I'm sure Bournemouth's terrible run ending when Wilshere was absent was just coincidence

No time to dwell on that loss though, as Gameweek 28 starts midweek with the fixture of Manchester City at home to Stoke City. Also, because of the FA Cup next weekend, there will be only a further four fixtures in which to score points. This means it will be difficult for IEFSA managers to get out a full squad of starters. This week the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer throws up a match-up with @cjradune, and of course he can call on three of his top four average scoring players, while my side on the other hand, will only have Joe Allen from my top three average scorers.

@cjradune’s Team

Raheem Sterling averages nearly 17 points per game and is C.J.’s top scorer with six goals. Sterling has also added five assists. His highest scoring fantasy player is Everton’s Ross Barkley. He averages over 18 points a game and has chipped in with four goals and six assists so far this season. His third high scoring player for this week is in Defence. Nathaniel Clyne of Liverpool averages over 15 points per game. And to help confirm the ‘hidden’ bias against my team, all of these players have very winnable home games this week.

Raheem Sterling should probably be rested with the Champions League next week, right?

If the six players @cjradune has this week, start and hit their averages, I will need my side to score 85 points in order to win. But will I have enough players to be able to achieve this?

What I Need To Happen

Top scorer Pedro doesn’t have a fixture this weekend. Arsenal are another team on FA Cup duty, meaning Bellerin will also be absent. New signing Luka Milivojevic has had a pretty respectable start to life at Crystal Palace, but no game for them this week, means he’ll sit on the bench here. Fabio Borini is another with no game to play, but I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

Of those who can start, the three players who gave me such a headache in Gameweek 27 will all probably still occupy their sides respective subs list. Wilshere, Mirallas and Afellay could benefit from rotation, but when combined they only got 29 minutes last weekend, so I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one. Two fairly consistent performers from Stoke will get the gameweek underway on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, that game is away to Man City, and Arnautovic will be subject to a late fitness test, leaving Joe Allen to carry my side’s workload. Not for the first time!

Predictions

There are going to be lots of interesting match-ups this week because teams will be so shorthanded, so make sure you are following @THE_IEFSA on Twitter. @RotoZdroik has extended his lead at the top to nine points, and will be tough to catch this week because he has a full playing squad to choose from.

Last week saw six correct and three incorrect predictions. Will less teams playing mean the match-ups are easier to call this time around?

Good Luck Everyone

@FantasyYIRMA over @TAMc10

@SportsByGotti over @wrigavin

@SmokeyLoogy over @DFS_Hambazaza

@RotoZdroik over @RotoWireAndrew

@BenDinnery over @jforquer11

@FuzzyWarbles over @jwl_15

@nealjthurman over @jasonuk17

@nikarg over @TRKingston

@EPL_MOstradamus over @TomSunderland_

Week 27: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

A Pedro goal and assist against Swansea for Chelsea, coupled with a Michael Keane goal for Burnley away at Hull, was enough to help get me the win against @SportsByGotti last week. That win keeps me two games back from leader @RotoZdroik. A lot of teams would have been hampered by players not having a fixture in Gameweek 26, but no-one will have that excuse this week.

The IEFSA Fantrax fixture computer throws up a rare sight this week, as both goalkeepers will be on opposing sides in the same Premier League fixture. But with the compiler forever against my team, my opponent will have the home advantage in this one. In fact, all bar my Stoke City players will be playing away from home this week. And who is the manager given the leg up this week? Why @TAMc10 of course. A team that has won six out of his last seven games. The only loss being by less than five points.

@TAMc10’s Team

That goalkeeper who has a tidy home fixture this week is Lukasz Fabianski of Swansea. The Swans host a Burnley side who are the lowest away scorers in the league. His backline includes several high scoring Defenders. Azpilicueta of Chelsea averages over 15 points a game. While Koscielny of Arsenal also averages over 15. He can also call upon the talents of Vincent Kompany, who appears to finally be returning from his leg injury.

Despite how bad Liverpool have been playing, it's hard to see Sanchez being rested again.

Supplying the goals for Tate will be his main man Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean already has 17 to his name this season, as well as eight assists. Second on his goalscoring chart is Liverpool player Adam Lallana. The Midfielder has provided seven goals and seven assists in his 24 appearances. These two players will face each other at Anfield in the late Saturday kick-off. @TAMc10 will be hoping for lots of goals (and probably an Arsenal win!)

What I Need To Happen

Jesse Lingard was discarded last week in favour of Crystal Palace new boy Luka Milivojevic. The 25-year-old Serbian would not be as big a goal threat as Lingard, but I do feel that he will get more game time between now and the end of the season. Mkhitaryan is also out injured, so I needed a player who was more sure of a start coming into this gameweek. Ibrahim Afellay is still an option, but for how long? The two games Stoke play in the next five days will go a long way to showing if he fits into Mark Hughes plans going forward.

Lingard's goal in the League Cup Final could be his last for awhile. (or i'll look like an idiot)

With the vast majority of my players playing away, clean sheets might be hard to come by. And if I am looking for goals I will have to fall back on my two big players to deliver the goods once again. Pedro travels to West Ham, never an easy fixture, and Conte could shuffle his attacking options for this game too. While Joe Allen (yes, he’s my big goal threat) faces Middlesbrough. ‘Boro have the fourth best away defensive record in the league though, and rarely go three games without a clean sheet. My other goal threat is Jack Wilshere, but he travels to Old Trafford to face Manchester United this week in the early kick-off. That ground doesn’t get to see too many goals, never mind goals form the visiting team.

Predictions

Lots of moving and shaking going on this week as @cjradune sends Jamie Vardy to @FantasyYIRMA in exchange for Wilfried Zaha. It will take a few games to see who has got the upper hand in that exchange. The big clash in @THE_IEFSA this week will see leader @RotoZdroik face third placed @wrigavin.

Last week’s predictions went eight to one, with only @TomSunderland_ upsetting my clean sweep. Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone.

@SportsByGotti over @cjradune

@FantasyYIRMA over @DFS_Hambazaza

@RotoZdroik over @wrigavin

@BenDinnery over @SmokeyLoogy

@RotoWireAndrew over @jwl_15

@jforquer11 over @jasonuk17

@FuzzyWarbles over @TRKingston

@EPL_MOstradamus over @nealjthurman

@nikarg over @TomSunderland_

Week 26: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

Both my top scorers scored in the last gameweek to help my side to victory over @DFS_Hambazaza. Pedro and Joe Allen have six goals each this season, and thankfully both have fixtures this weekend. With the League Cup final on Sunday, four sides don’t have a match this gameweek. Man Utd, Southampton, Man City and Arsenal. That means four IEFSA managers will be without goalkeepers this week, while a number must start looking deep into their squads in order to find eight outfield players. Some managers have been hit harder than others. @RotoWireAndrew only has five fit outfield players, with only two likely to start for their clubs. But I’m not facing Andrew this week. No, the IEFSA Fantrax fixture computer made sure I was facing a side that could get a full team out, and one that scored the highest points total in the previous gameweek. That side is the in-form @SportsByGotti.

Joe Allen would be a late call up to Welsh Six Nations squad if needed

@SportsByGotti’s Team

Mike may be missing his highest scorer in Kevin De Bruyne, but he has many capable replacements. In fact, @SportsByGotti has the only team in league where every one of his outfield players has found the net. He has a very dangerous squad indeed. Outside of De Bryne, the goals have come for Mike in the shape of Matt Phillips of West Brom (facing Bournemouth at home this weekend), Willian of Chelsea (Swansea at home), and West Ham’s Michail Antonio (Watford away). Swansea and Bournemouth have the worst two defences in the league, so @SportsByGotti should be confident of returns in front of goals again this weekend.

Mike appears to have luck at both ends of the pitch. As his goalkeeper, Everton’s Joel Robles, gets to face one of the lowest scorers away from home this season, Sunderland. Everton are also the most inform team over the last eight games, and @SportsByGotti recently snapped up their exciting young Forward Ademola Lookman. The nineteen-year-old averages a shade over one goal every five games in his fledgling career, and guess what? He hasn’t scored in his last four appearances for the Toffees. I keep telling you the IEFSA Fantrax fixture computer has it in for me, but no one believes me!

Lookman could deal my team a big blow by keeping Mirallas out of the side

What I Need To Happen

After all I’ve mentioned it seems like wishful thinking that @SportsByGotti will be kept scoreless. My side will just have to go toe to toe and knock in an extra goal or two. One of my top scorers, Joe Allen, has to try and get past the Spurs defence though. Tottenham have only conceded five goals at home all season, and only one goal at home in over three months. Which probably means I shouldn’t rely on Marko Arnautovic or Ibrahim Afellay to be scoring too many goals either.

Four of my squad have red flags by their names at the moment, while a further four could be considered to be questionable as to whether they will get the start for their teams. I could pull the plug on the Ibrahim Afellay experiment and draft in a player from Free Agency. Mark Hughes seems to have pulled the plug on the Ibrahim Afellay experiment too. Deploying Ramadan Sobhi in his place of late. Do I dare drop Jack Wilshere, when he is just about to find that first goal of the season? Perhaps it would be best to just get rid of Jesse Lingard? Manchester United don’t have a fixture this week, and Lingard doesn’t seem to have a fixture most weeks.

Lingard does most of his dabbing on the bench these days

Predictions

More correct than incorrect was the positive to take form the predictions in the last gameweek, five to four. My tie with @SportsByGotti is clearly the glamour fixture this weekend, second facing third. Another match-up to keep an eye on is leader @RotoZdroik, trying to prevent a third loss in a row, against @cjradune. C.J. will be out for revenge in this one, having lost their last encounter by less than two points. Remember to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter to see how all these match-ups pan out.

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck everyone.

@TAMc10 over @DFS_Hambazaza

@RotoZdroik over @cjradune

@FantasyYIRMA over @BenDinnery

@wrigavin over @jwl_15

@SmokeyLoogy over @jasonuk17

@TRKingston over @RotoWireAndrew

@EPL_MOstradamus over @jforquer11

@FuzzyWarbles over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @nealjthurman

Week 25: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

A squad that outscored your opponent 7 goals to 1. A goalkeeper clean sheet to two goals conceded. A defence that gave up one goal, verses a team whose three defenders gave up a total of 11 goals. Four players who outperformed their averages. A score that would have beaten 14 other sides in the league. All of this league leader @RotoZdroik achieved in Gameweek 24. Yet he still game away with the Loss, as my side put in an all-round performance that pulled in the week’s highest total, 162 pts. This keeps my team in second place, but now only nine points behind. This week the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer tries to throw me a potential banana skin against the side propping up the table, @DFS_hambazaza.

Lukaku nearly equaled my season top scorer in one afternoon, but ended up on the losing side

@DFS_hambazaza has scored the lowest number of points in each of the last three gameweeks. The last time we faced each other, the winning margin was over a hundred points in my favour. On paper this should be an easy three points. But as we all know, fantasy football can throw up some surprises when you least expect it.

@DFS_hambazaza’s Team

The January transfer window has not been kind to @DFS_hambazaza this year. Nathan Ake was averaging over 14 points a game before he was recalled to sit on the bench at Chelsea. Everton have had an upturn in their performance levels of late, but Gerard Deulofeu found himself surplus to requirements and is seeing out the rest of the season at AC Milan. Seemingly better news was the transfer of Robert Snodgrass from Hull to West Ham. But the Scot has yet to settle into the side, having only started one game, but did register an assist in that one start.

Robert Snodgrass is now @DFS_hambazaza's biggest weapon

@DFS_hambazaza still has a number of players who could cause my side trouble though. If they can get on the pitch. Charlie Daniels is his highest scoring defender, but he faces a late fitness test to be ready for the fixture against Man City on Monday night. Xherdan Shaquiri of Stoke City and George Friend of Middlesbrough are both nursing calf injuries and are doubts for their teams’ games at three o’clock on Saturday. The defence should not be a problem to fill, it’s the Midfield and Forward positions that will give @DFS_hambazaza the most headaches. He spent big on getting Nolito of Man City, but the Forward has not featured since Christmas.

What I Need To Happen

Hector Bellerin is still a doubt after the head injured suffered last week. He may have a tempting fixture at home to Hull City, but surely Arsene Wenger won’t risk the Spaniard before the big Champions League clash midweek. This will leave me with an unchanged backline of Leighton Baines, Steve Cook and Michael Keane. These three conceded a combined eleven goals last weekend, so any improvement on that would be a plus.

Henrik Mkhitaryan scored against the champions, so will hold no fear of Watford

On the attacking front, Mkhitaryan got on the scoresheet against Leicester City and will be expected to carve out as many chances at home to Watford. Kevin Mirallas missed out when Everton scored six goals against Bournemouth, so I don’t expect him to get back into their starting line-up any time soon. Sunderland also scored a lot of goals last weekend without the talents of Fabio Borini. But with the Black Cats missing a few midfielders through injury and suspension, perhaps he could make his way back into the side. Elsewhere in Midfield, Jack Wilshere will get a chance to help his Arsenal buddies by scoring a goal or two for Bournemouth against Man City on Monday. Also in Midfield, The Ibrahim Afellay Experiment has shifted up a gear with the Dutchman forcing his way into the Stoke starting eleven of late. I expect him to have his best points haul yet when the Potters host a free-falling Crystal Palace side.

 Predictions

After a slight dip in predictions midweek, an improvement to seven correct and two incorrect for Gameweek 24. @RotoZdroik has seen his lead cut to nine points, with two teams on 45 points to his 54. There is a cluster of five teams a further three points back. One of those teams is @SportsByGotti, who @RotoZdroik will face this week. To follow all the action make sure you check out @THE_IEFSA on Twitter.

Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone

@RotoZdroik over @SportsByGotti

@TAMc10 over @BenDinnery

@jwl_15 over @cjradune

@FantasyYIRMA over @jasonuk17

@wrigavin over @TRKingston

@EPL_MOstradamus over @SmokeyLoogy

@RotoWireAndrew over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @jforquer11

@FuzzyWarbles over @nealjthurman

Week 24: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

My team responded to defeat in Gameweek 22 with a big victory midweek against @BenDinnery.  Along with scoring the highest total of the week with 133.7 points, the victory also saw my side move up into second place in the league. A Tom Heaton clean sheet for Burnley, as well as his teammate Michael Keane adding an assist. Marko Arnautovic chipped in with an assist too. Ben only had a Darren Fletcher assist and a one save Willy Caballero shutout in response. My rise was because of a number of upsets, as four of the top eight lost. One person who didn’t taste defeat was leader @RotoZdroik. His side has a league best six wins on the trot (the next best has two!). Adam also had the second highest score in midweek with 132.5. This after he had been nearly sixty points adrift going into Wednesday night.

All Tom Heaton's six clean sheets have come at Turf Moor

@RotoZdroik is now 12 points clear of a group of four teams. He is in danger of being out of sight before we enter the final third of the season. Our clash will also be a revenge game for him, as I managed to beat him in Gameweek 5 by a measly 2.6 points. It was one of only five defeats for him this season. He has only lost three in eighteen games since. While most of the league will be cheering me on in this clash of the top two sides, I have a feeling the IEFSA/Fantrax fixture computer has thrown up this fixture now in an attempt to undermine my side’s rise up the table. Only three of my players have home games this week. While Adam’s two top scorers, Defoe and Lukaku, have a combined goals total (24), just two shy of the combined goals total of my whole team (26).

@RotoZdroik’s Team

Oh did I mention he has eight goal Fernando Llorente and seven goal Gylfi Sigurdsson of Swansea in his squad too? Or that his Hull Goalkeeper gained more than twenty points in a game away to Manchester United last time out. If his players simply hit their average for the season, I will need 131.7 points to beat him. A score I have only managed six times this season. Adam can only play two of Lukaku, Llorente and Defoe though, so he will have a few choices to make this weekend. Lukaku and Defoe are the obvious picks, but Llorente did score two goals away at Liverpool recently and the Man City backline does tend to have the odd car crash game, even at home.

Sigurdsson spearheads a resurgent Swansea side

The three Defenders he is likely to go with all have home fixtures. Cahill, Maguire and Sagna. While two out of his three Midfielders will be playing at home, Gueye and Sane, the other being Sigurdsson. The Icelandic international has already scored against Man City this season in the League Cup though, and averages over twenty points a game. Unlike the Forward and Defender positions, Adam has no alternative options in Midfield with his Arsenal pair Granit Zhaka and Aaron Ramsey, suspended and injured respectively.

What I Need To Happen

Goals win games. I will need all of his top four scorers to have an off day this gameweek. The last time none of these players scored in a gameweek was back in mid-December in Gameweek 17. But even in that week, Leroy Sane scored for @RotoZdroik. With goals almost guaranteed, maybe I should just worry about my side scoring goals.

With most of my players playing away from home, and my only Forward playing at home is up against Arsenal. Pedro may have five goals this year, but he can’t seem to nail down a place in Conte’s Chelsea side. This London derby is the first game of the weekend, so as least I will know early if Pedro is in or out of my team. If he is out, Arnautovic or Borini will occupy the Forward position. Elsewhere in my team, Joe Allen and Henrik Mkhitaryan have had dips in form recently, and Jack Wilshere is still making me wait for his first Bournemouth goal. It may come this weekend, and if it does it would take cleansheet points away from my Defender Leighton Baines.

Afellay will take his gloves off soon and storm the fantasy scene

In better news, the Ibrahim Afellay Experiment is seemingly improving. He started Stoke’s last game and managed ninety minutes, but only 7.75 points. A trip to West Brom is not the easiest game to gain points in, so perhaps I will hold off on unleashing him to the fantasy football world just yet.

Predictions

With a few upsets last week, the predictions finally saw a dip from a run of six correct in a row over the previous three gameweeks. Five correct and four incorrect. Remember to follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter to not only keep track of this weekend’s scores, but also to see if any side has dipped into the transfer market. A number of teams are looking to get players in order to improve their fortunes. No one has made a bid for Ibrahim Afellay or Jack Wilshere yet. But when that happens, follow @GarryIrwin and you’ll be the first to know.

Here are this week’s predictions. Good Luck Everyone

@BenDinnery over @DFS_hambazaza

@SportsByGotti over @jwl_15

@TAMc10 over @jasonuk17

@TRKingston over @cjradune

@EPL_MOstradamus over @FantasyYIRMA

@wrigavin over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @SmokeyLoogy

@RotoWireAndrew over @nealjthurman

@FuzzyWarbles over @jforquer11

Week 23: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

The points total my side achieved in Gameweek 22 would have been enough to beat eight other sides in the league, but not @jwl_15. A Chelsea clean sheet along with a Victor Moses assist, and strangely, a Christian Kabasele goal, had Jake winning by a comfortable margin. That loss pushed my team down to fifth place, 12 points off leader @RotoZdroik, who won for the fifth week in a row. This week’s fixtures are being played over Tuesday and Wednesday, and it encompasses the end of January and the first of February. This of course means some teams could be unsettled by the moving and shaking that happens on Transfer Deadline Day.^TM Most of my squad looks like it will be unaffected though. Unless Real Madrid can cough up what’s needed to prize Joe Allen from Stoke.

I bet you thought Watford had stopped scoring goals

The IEFSA Fantrax fixture computer will look to unsettle my team though by pitting my side against a team who has won their last two games; a team who would have beaten me last week; a team with two of the most inform strikers in the Premier League at the moment in Diego Costa and Andy Carroll. That team belongs to @BenDinnery. The last time we met it was a Costa brace that gave Ben the victory by less than two points. Even with all that is stacked against me, I’m hopeful of gaining some form of revenge this midweek.

@BenDinnery’s Team

Costa has 15 goals so far this season, and barring him hopping on a plane to China Tuesday morning, he will be facing a trip to Liverpool. The Reds have seemingly thrown in the towel for this year over the last few games, and are struggling to keep lower tier Championships sides out, so what hope against a fired up Chelsea. Andy Carroll only has five goals this year. I say ‘only’, but he would be joint top scorer in my side! Plus you have to consider he has only started seven games in the league because of injury.

More stellar Crystal Palace defending

Looking around his squad, most of the points have come from Midfield. Harry Arter of Bournemouth averages nearly 15 points a game and will be hopeful of doing more than that at home to a woeful Crystal Palace on Tuesday. Jake Livermore averages over 12 points a game. He is a player who has already moved during this transfer window. Moving from Hull to West Brom for a reported £10m. At the back, his best source of points will probably be Phil Jones when Man Utd host Hull on Wednesday.

What I Need To Happen

Costa and Carroll do have tricky fixtures, Liverpool and Man City, so it would be no surprise to see them held scoreless. At least if Carroll gets a goal he will be taking points off Ben’s Man City goalkeeper. Most of his midfielders and defenders will be playing at home too. So, lots of goals from the away teams here would be helpful. It is also possible that @BenDinnery could have all his players playing on Tuesday if he wished, and building up a sizable lead. Whereas most of my squad will not hit the pitch until Wednesday night. Do I leave slots open for players who may not even play on Wednesday? Lingard hasn’t featured much lately. But Mkitaryan did start the cup game at the weekend. Will he be rested?

Jack Wilshere taking one of his many goal-bound shots here

The Ibrahim Afellay Experiment will continue for another week. He has only started one game and averages 3.87 points per game over his five total appearances. At home to Everton is as good a time as any to showcase his undoubted talents though. Elsewhere in Midfield we are still waiting on Jack Wilshere to score that goal which all his good play has promised. Bournemouth, as mentioned, will play Crystal Palace at home. The Eagles have the third worst away defence in the league and are currently the most out of form team with only two points gained from the last 24 available. Wilshere has one or two goals waiting for him in this fixture if he wants them.

Predictions

Amazingly last week’s prediction once again ended up six correct and three incorrect for the fourth week in a row. @RotoZdroik has a nine point lead over @SportsByGotti. But he is surely in for a tough test against @jwl_15 this week. To follow all the midweek action make sure you keep tabs on @THE_IEFSA on Twitter. Let’s see how this week’s predictions go.

Good Luck Everyone.

@RotoZdroik over @jwl_15

@jasonuk17 over @DFS_Hambazaza

@SportsByGotti over @TRKingston

@TAMc10 over @EPL_MOstradamus

@cjradune over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @FantasyYIRMA

@wrigavin over @nealjthurman

@FuzzyWarbles over @SmokeyLoogy

@RotoWireAndrew over @jforquer11

Week 22: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

A really tight fixture last week against @jasonuk17, as only three points separated the teams in the end. Two goals from both sides, along with three clean sheets from each set of defenders and goalkeepers, saw most players get to their averages. Perhaps it was the clean sheet from Burnley’s Tom Heaton that helped my side come away with the three points. The victory leaves my side third in the table, still nine points off leader @RotoZdroik.

Marko Arnautovic scores as the whole Sunderland team look on

This week it seems that @THE_IEFSA and Fantrax have had enough and will pit my side against the side with the most Chelsea players in their squad. The Blues top the Premier League by seven points and this week they will face relegation threatened Hull City at home. @jwl_15 has twice as many Chelsea players as any other team. The Fantrax/IEFSA fixture computer stacks the cards against my side once again, but hopefully my players can keep up their good form as we head into Gameweek 22.

@jwl_15’s Team

Jake has Thibaut Courtois in goals. The Chelsea stopper has 12 clean sheets already this season. A whole four clean sheets better than Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris, who has the second most in the league. Courtois also has seven more clean sheets than my goalkeeper. His other Chelsea players are in Midfield. Eden Hazard averages over 20 points per game for @jwl_15. N’Golo Kante averages nearly 16 points and Victor Moses chips in with over 13 points a game. Also in Midfield, Jake can select Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson. One goal and four assists already this season, sees Henderson gain over 19 points every game. All of these players have favourable home fixtures this week, as they all play against teams in the bottom three.

If Courtois can keep out the champions, what hope Hull City?

It’s in the Forward position where @jwl_15 has found things difficult this season. Ashley Barnes and Shane Long have managed four goals between them, yet have failed to cement a starting spot in each of their sides. They both have only managed six starts going into Gameweek 22. Jake will perhaps look to his Defenders to get him enough points for the win. Here he has Joel Ward of Crystal Palace, Kyle Naughton from Swansea, Cedric Soares at Southampton, and Juan Zuniga with Watford to choose from. Two of these defenders play home fixtures this week (Ward and Soares), so perhaps he will pick them to start. More motivation for Jake is that fact that in Gameweek 3 my side managed to scrape a tight win against him.

What I Need To Happen

A Hull goal at Stamford Bridge is almost a must this week. If the Tigers new manager can somehow organise his team to stifling the Chelsea attack for ninety minutes, with perhaps the exception of Pedro, who is on my team, that would greatly help me in this match-up. Working against @jwl_15 though, is that the Chelsea versus Hull game is the last of the Gameweek. Does he leave all his player slots open for his Chelsea players on Sunday evening? If he does, I may need to have built up a sizable lead from the nine earlier Premier League games.

Wilshere tried to score against Hull with one arm tied behind his back

The players I’ll need in order to build up this lead have thankfully been seeing some form in front of goal of late. Arnautovic got a brace last week against Sunderland. Mirallas put one past Man City. And Pedro scored his fifth of the season against Leicester. Elsewhere, Mkhitaryan seems to have nailed down a place in the Man Utd starting eleven, and Jack Wilshere is still due a goal. For those worried about the ‘Ibrahim Afellay Experiment’, the Stoke midfielder added 2.7 points off the bench last weekend. We are still waiting for the Dutchman to break out and gain a boatload of points.

Predictions

The third week in a row where six predictions have been correct and three incorrect. @RotoZdroik is still six points clear of @wrigavin, while @DFS_Hambazaza is 12 points adrift at the bottom. @nikarg has the longest winning streak in the league with six, and it’s getting harder and harder to predict winners with each passing gameweek. Let’s try and improve on six correct predictions this week though with the following predictions. Follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter to keep on top of all the action this Saturday and Sunday.

Good Luck Everyone.

@BenDinnery over @jasonuk17

@RotoZdroik over @TRKingston

@EPL_MOstradamus over @DFS_Hambazaza

@SportsByGotti over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @TAMc10

@nealjthurman over @cjradune

@FuzzyWarbles over @FantasyYIRMA

@wrigavin over @jforquer11

@RotoWireAndrew over @SmokeyLoogy

Week 21: IEFSA Fantasy League Preview

The Premier League is back after a week of FA Cup action. Most sides put out ‘experimental’ lineups in an effort to save themselves for the rigours of a relegation battle, title race, European campaign, or finishing 14^th. (delete as appropriate) The return of league action means the return of Fantasy Football and the IEFSA Fantasy League brought to you by Fantrax. So check your sides for the latest injuries, or in case anyone of your players have scuttled off to China, and lets begin the Gameweek 21 preview.

A Leighton Baines goal helped my team overcome @TRKingston two weeks ago. This result moved my team up to fourth in the league. I would have lost to this week’s opponent if I had been playing him though, @jasonuk17. I overcame Jason in Week 2 and since then our two teams have been scoring pretty close points-wise. Six times in the following game weeks our sides would have only been separated by less than five points, twice by less than a point (0.1 and 0.35). This all points to a rather tight game, but as usual, the IEFSA Fantrax fixture computer has organised it so that @jasonuk17’s Forward is in his best form of the season. While my highest priced Defender heads to the Injured Reserve list. Jason also picked up Claudio Yacob not long after he was discarded to Free Agency. This sets the West Brom man up nicely to come back and bite my side in the ass this week!

@jasonuk17’s Team

The in form Forward in Jason’s team is Frenchman Olivier Giroud. The Arsenal front-man has scored three goals in as many games and averages 24.4 points over the same period. Helping him out and pulling in almost 18 points a game this season is Bournemouth’s Junior Stanislas. Stanislas faces bottom club Hull on Saturday, so should have no problem getting near his average again. Elsewhere in Midfield he has another inform player in the shape of Michael Carrick. The Man Utd player should have plenty of work to do, and therefore earn plenty of points, when United entertain Liverpool on Sunday.

@jasonuk's secret weapon: Claudio Yacob

In goals Jason has another Man Utd star, David de Gea. Rested for the League Cup game midweek, de Gea has started all twenty league games this season, keeping seven clean sheets. He will probably not be the only one looking for clean sheets this week though, as all of @jasonuk17’s Defenders have home fixtures. The toughest of these being Ben Chilwell of Leicester City who host table toppers Chelsea. Conte’s men look like they will be playing without top scorer Diego Costa for this game though, as reports out of Stamford Bridge suggest he is unsettled and looking to move in January.

Will Costa be banging in goals at a sold out Workers Stadium in 2017?

What I Need To Happen

Hector Bellerin joined Arsenal teammate Santi Cazorla on my injured list this week after injuring his ankle. This leaves only three fit defenders, but hopefully they will all get the starts for their respective clubs and pick up a clean sheet or two. My goalkeeper Tom Heaton of Burnley will face Southampton. A clean sheet here, as well as keeping out Jason’s Oriol Romeu would be a good start on Saturday. Jason could also have up to three Watford players in his squad starting at three o’clock on Saturday. So, a Middlesbrough upset would be most welcomed in that game.

Another three-pm kick-off, this time involving four players from my squad, is the fixture between Sunderland and Stoke. Joe Allen has not been his usual self lately in regards gaining fantasy points, but will not get many better chances to reverse this trend than against third from bottom Sunderland. A high scoring affair with an effort or two from Fabio Borini would entertain the neutral and make me very happy. This fixture could also go a long way to seeing if the ‘Ibrahim Afellay Experiment’ will be a success. Jack Wilshere has yet to score in 2017, but should knock in one or two against bottom club Hull City, as he slowly forces his way into the England squad for the crucial game against Lithuania in March.

Jack Wilshere should open his Bournemouth account against Hull

Predictions

Six correct and three incorrect for the second week in a row. Many of the managers are looking around trying to improve their squads during the January transfer window. Perhaps @BenDinnery is sweating the most as $65 of his budget is tied up in want-away Diego Costa. For the latest on this and all the other goings on in the league, please follow @THE_IEFSA on Twitter. Here are this week’s predictions.

Good Luck Everyone

@jwl_15 over @TRKingston

@EPL_MOstradamus over @BenDinnery

@RotoZdroik over @TomSunderland_

@nikarg over @DFS_Hambazaza

@SportsByGotti over @nealjthurman

@FuzzyWarbles over @TAMc10

@cjradune over @jforquer11

@RotoWireAndrew over @FantasyYIRMA

@wrigavin over @SmokeyLoogy