Despite Moving to Arsenal, Mkhitaryan is Still Difficult to Spell

Jan 29

Gameweek 25 Preview: Fantasy Premier League #FPL

Written by John Wallin @FantasyGaffer

Written by @FantasyGaffer

You may have heard, there is now a podcast as Bang Average as this column; with John, Ryan and Mike talking all formats of #FPL. Go and subscribe, this will still be here when you get back.

And so the Premier League and more importantly, FPL took a weekend off to accomodate the bright lights of the FA Cup and in doing so properly ruined the flow of this column. Cup weekends are the VAR of fantasy. The VAR of football podcasts? Bang Average.

Defender – Jamaal Lacelles, Newcastle

With defenders in the OFPL you should rarely select a player like Lascelles as anything more than a value play. Both his attacking contributions this term are goals coming way back in GW4/5. He has just five clean sheets and 6BPS, with those BPS spread over only three matches. But the Magpies’ captain is a discount option (£4.6) with minimal ownership (6.0%) and facing a Burnley side who’ve scored just three goals in their last five. This isn’t one to buy, but if he’s been on your bench all season, it’s weeks like this when Lascelles deserves to slot into your XI. Want a chalk pick? Just read last week’s column on Alonso AND Azpilicueta and update the stats to reflect another clean sheet for each.

Midfielder – Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Arsenal

For all of Mou’s moaning about Mkhi’s two-way play (ED: Or Johns word play), the winger has nine clean sheets to his name from just 920′ League action for United. He is in game shape having played 64′ against Saints in GW21 and should slot immediately into Arsene’s XI alongside Ozil and Lacazette. Swansea beat Liverpool last time out, but conceded 21 shots – 17 from open play – against a Reds’ side that hit everything except the back of the net. £7.6m, 6.4% selected are not numbers that we will see again this season. The Gunners will want him in against Swans and Everton to ensure he is singing from the same hymnal ahead of GW27 (Spurs) and GW28 (City). A hot start – five assists from three – for United could easily be replicated in an Arsenal side freed and playing their best football this season.

(ED: Please feel free to hurl twitter abuse towards @FantasyGaffer directly if Mkhitaryan starts on the bench)