Winter Is Coming - FSA Christmas Preparation Thread

Mr.Prodston

The clocks have been put back an hour, Halloween has come and gone, it's getting colder and the first of the Christmas ads are now appearing. For many the true meaning of Christmas is pulling up your socks and taking great strides up the FPL rankings.

We've discussed things a little in the General thread but I think we can warrant a thread of our own because Winter is no longer coming, it's here. I've been doing a little work analysing the fixtures and there's no harm in preparing ourselves. Especially as the International break rolls around next week.

I've layed out the fixtures for GW14-GW20 which covers the 3rd of Dec to the New Year.



I've also made a colour coded one to highlight the opponents (It's a bit bright :pac:)



Red is obviously a strong opponent and Green weaker. Orange and Lime may be contestable but it gives a rough idea of the difficulties. I didn't take home or away into account.

Players who are likely to play as many games as possible will be just as important as playing the fixtures though. Anyway we can discuss all this etc I just thought I'd get the ball rolling.

jimmii

Always such a tricky period to get right City play Fulham, Swansea then have home matches against Palace and Liverpool you'd think need to stock on up them so but those 4 matches are 21st, 26th, 28th of December and 1st of Jan surely none of them will play more than 270 minutes if that with the possible exception of a Joe Hart freshly returned to the first team same goes for all the top teams. I am thinking that players like Lukaku and Tekkers are going to prove to be even better value over December and January.

roryc

Mr.Prodston wrote: »

it's getting colder

Speak for yourselves, 25 degrees today. Never ending Summer...

Iused2likebusts

great stuff MR P had been thinking of starting the exact same thread. Although it wouldnt have been as fancy as that, they really want to up your workload on that masters:pac:.
My tip would be to try and carry a transfer into the xmas period as to have 2 transfers for the likes of gw 19 could be crucial.

MR P could you edit the initial post to put the dates on the top of the GW's. GW 18 & 19 for example only have two days between them.

Iused2likebusts

jimmii wrote: »

Always such a tricky period to get right City play Fulham, Swansea then have home matches against Palace and Liverpool you'd think need to stock on up them so but those 4 matches are 21st, 26th, 28th of December and 1st of Jan surely none of them will play more than 270 minutes if that with the possible exception of a Joe Hart freshly returned to the first team same goes for all the top teams. I am thinking that players like Lukaku and Tekkers are going to prove to be even better value over December and January.

exactly 28th at home to palace has aguero on the bench written all over it.

jimmii

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

exactly 28th at home to palace has aguero on the bench written all over it.

Really go against the tide and sell him that week!!

Mr.Prodston

roryc wrote: »

Speak for yourselves, 25 degrees today. Never ending Summer...

I bet it's still getting slightly colder :pac:

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

great stuff MR P had been thinking of starting the exact same thread. Although it wouldnt have been as fancy as that, they really want to up your workload on that masters:pac:.
My tip would be to try and carry a transfer into the xmas period as to have 2 transfers for the likes of gw 19 could be crucial.

MR P could you edit the initial post to put the dates on the top of the GW's. GW 18 & 19 for example only have two days between them.

Haha it's just the calm before the storm for me I think, next week on things pick up again

Yeah I was thinking that myself alright, was going to do it now anyway.

Iused2likebusts

jimmii wrote: »

Really go against the tide and sell him that week!!

No I wouldnt sell him. I just wouldnt risk giving him the armband. Some teams will have aguero, rooney , suarez and 1 of those 3 (suarez) is the only 1 I'd be confident of starting in gw 19 it just shows the importance of having a full squad of 15 players.

jimmii

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

No I wouldnt sell him. I just wouldnt risk giving him the armband. Some teams will have aguero, rooney , suarez and 1 of those 3 (suarez) is the only 1 I'd be confident of starting in gw 19 it just shows the importance of having a full squad of 15 players.

I don't think anyone would actually sell him before that match. Its a long way off who is to say any of us will even still have him by then!

Mr.Prodston

The dates are edited in now.

Yeah at first glance Benteke and Villa caught my eye alright. Also Norwich have decent fixtures.

Swiper the fox

Mr.Prodston wrote: »

The dates are edited in now.

Yeah at first glance Benteke and Villa caught my eye alright. Also Norwich have decent fixtures.

With some of the players they have(two in particular) Norwich are pretty much fixture proof:pac:

jimmii

Mr.Prodston wrote: »

Also Norwich have decent fixtures.

They would need to sort themselves out very quick or else everyone will be eyeing them up for 3 points! Snodgrass should make a difference but they'd have to show a real improvement in form to consider them no matter what the fixtures.

Mr.Prodston

jimmii wrote: »

They would need to sort themselves out very quick or else everyone will be eyeing them up for 3 points! Snodgrass should make a difference but they'd have to show a real improvement in form to consider them no matter what the fixtures.

Ah now in their last 5 games they have beaten Stoke away, lost to Chelsea (conceding in the last 10 minutes), Arsenal and City away from home and drawn with Cardiff when Marshall was on fire. Lets not forget they've also beaten Southampton and drawn with Everton. The Hull game was the only real blot bar City and Hull's goal came from a penalty that wasn't and they had their own more legitimate case for a penalty turned down.

Also The Wolf and Redmond have been injured in recent weeks which hasn't helped either so I don't think they've done too badly considering who they've played.

Somehow I think FPL has turned me into a pseudo-Norwich fan, not quite sure how it's even happened :pac:

PARlance

For anyone that has trouble with Mr.P's table, here is the one from totalfpl.

Nice work Mr.P

Panthro

Has to be Chelsea over the Xmas period
(I'm basing this solely on the 5 seconds I've spent looking at their and nobody else's fixtures, so don't be holding me responsible if it goes tits up!!!)

PARlance

West Ham will only be leaving London twice during the 7 gameweeks...


Now, I just need to go figure out if that means anything in the slightest.

Lucas Hood

Took my off the ball last year over Xmas period and missed getting in Walcott for that Newcastle game. Won't be happening this year.

alchemist33

The big thing you need for Xmas is a bench that plays.

Iused2likebusts

Lucas Hood wrote: »

Took my off the ball last year over Xmas period and missed getting in Walcott for that Newcastle game. Won't be happening this year.

Walcott was the ultimate xmas shout last year. Newcastle played utd on the 26th while arsenal had no game because of a tube strike. Arsenal then played newcastle on the 28th/29th and hammered them.

Swiper the fox

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Walcott was the ultimate xmas shout last year. Newcastle played utd on the 26th while arsenal had no game because of a tube strike. Arsenal then played newcastle on the 28th/29th and hammered them.

You probably don't even know your own kids birthday but you can rattle off those dates.:pac:

Love the first post in this thread, true meaning of Christmas is catching up in fpl, reminded me of the shame I felt posting here on dec 25 when the kids were all excited with santy and I was preparing dinner for 10 people:o

PARlance

Swiper the fox wrote: »

....I was preparing dinner for 10 people:o

*tries to think of a joke about only having 10 starters but fails*

Mike Ehrmantraut

Great thread Mr Prodston Only had a quick look so far but Suarez and Benteke are the two players that stand out to me at the least risk of rotation

FHFC

Thanks for this lads. Was wondering about Christmas tactics but this is the mother load!

Everton have a decent run after the arsenal game and Lukaku will definitely start if fit.

Kinda a hard to know thought how the likes of Fulham, Sunderland and Norwich will be in 2 months. Some of the current lost causes could be starting to get it together under a new manager by then.

Mr.Prodston

I think I might take a hit or 2 after the International break to sort out my midfield and then try and keep my transfers so that I'll have an option on 2 FTs a week heading into the busy period.

fpllad

I suppose any BIG points totals will be made now,

roryc

Badly need to sort my team out for Christmas, been destroyed with injuries the last few weeks. None of my bench even started at the weekend and that was after making two transfers.

FHFC

roryc wrote: »

Badly need to sort my team out for Christmas, been destroyed with injuries the last few weeks. None of my bench even started at the weekend and that was after making two transfers.

I really really need to Hull lads to get fit again, Brady and Chester getting to be a real pain at this stage. Unless Brady fully fit and over the op he'll have to go.

extra gravy

The only update on Chester I can find is from the Hull website on the 8th Nov, stating that he "remains on the sidelines". Think I'm going to get rid for a 4.5 def, possibly Rat.

roryc

FHFC wrote: »

I really really need to Hull lads to get fit again, Brady and Chester getting to be a real pain at this stage. Unless Brady fully fit and over the op he'll have to go.

Hopefully he gets a run out for ROI v Latvia. He has another two weeks to get back to fitness and the way Hull are playing I assume this is high priority for them. I always thought he went back to playing way too soon after the surgery.

Lemlin

roryc wrote: »

Hopefully he gets a run out for ROI v Latvia. He has another two weeks to get back to fitness and the way Hull are playing I assume this is high priority for them. I always thought he went back to playing way too soon after the surgery.

Brady and Ciaran Clark have both pulled out of the squad.

IanOBo

Great thread. December is the month where hardcore players show themselves. 7 GW's in a month, I love it!

FHFC

extra gravy wrote: »

The only update on Chester I can find is from the Hull website on the 8th Nov, stating that he "remains on the sidelines". Think I'm going to get rid for a 4.5 def, possibly Rat.

"I would think Palace would be 50-50. He's out on the training ground but it's been a nasty one," said Bruce on Chester.



Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-City-won-t-risks-Robbie-Brady-fitness/story-20052074-detail/story.html#ixzz2kMvKKsLb

Never mind Walcott watch I'm on Chester watch. Without him at home to palace my defence for GW12 is very dodgy....

roryc

I recently debated getting in Lloris, and yesterday Clark. On top of the 6 other players I already had that were injured in the last few weeks. If I was a Premier League footballer right now I would be praying that Rory doesn't consider transferring you in to his team.

Iused2likebusts

FHFC wrote: »

"I would think Palace would be 50-50. He's out on the training ground but it's been a nasty one," said Bruce on Chester.



Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-City-won-t-risks-Robbie-Brady-fitness/story-20052074-detail/story.html#ixzz2kMvKKsLb

Never mind Walcott watch I'm on Chester watch. Without him at home to palace my defence for GW12 is very dodgy....

the fact the got hammered at southampton may hopefully get him back quicker.

FHFC

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

the fact the got hammered at southampton may hopefully get him back quicker.

Yeah, the injuries are telling on them, hopefully Brady kept home from Ireland to get him 100% and they'll work hard to get Chester right. Would break my heart to have both of them on my bench with flags beside them home to Palace.

Iused2likebusts

I always remember Paully D bemoaning sunderlands opening home fixtures well they take a massive upturn from DEC 21. Their home fixtures between then and the end of the season are norwich, villa, southampton, stoke,hull,wba, palace, west ham, cardiff, everton and swansea. Poyet seems to have improved them and I think I'll be getting in one of their budget defenders around xmas time.

qwabercd

FHFC wrote: »

Yeah, the injuries are telling on them, hopefully Brady kept home from Ireland to get him 100% and they'll work hard to get Chester right. Would break my heart to have both of them on my bench with flags beside them home to Palace.

Seems like a lot of us have held onto the pair of them. Hopefully our faith will pay off with both of them starting against palace, we deserve it at this stage!

Paully D

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

I always remember Paully D bemoaning sunderlands opening home fixtures well they take a massive upturn from DEC 21. Their home fixtures between then and the end of the season are norwich, villa, southampton, stoke,hull,wba, palace, west ham, cardiff, everton and swansea. Poyet seems to have improved them and I think I'll be getting in one of their budget defenders around xmas time.

I'd agree with that mate. Just make sure you have a good rotation option because our away games include 6 of last seasons top 7 plus Newcastle. Very tough by all accounts.

Iused2likebusts

Paully D wrote: »

I'd agree with that mate. Just make sure you have a good rotation option because our away games include 6 of last seasons top 7 plus Newcastle. Very tough by all accounts.

ah ye id only be using them at home. What is the sunderland back 4?

Lucas Hood

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

ah ye id only be using them at home. What is the sunderland back 4?

I doubt Poyet even knows this at the minute , He's used 7 different defenders for the 4 positions over his 5 games in charge. O'Shea & Bardsley (3 games at LB & 2 games at RB) being the only ones to play every game.

Iused2likebusts

Lucas Hood wrote: »

I doubt Poyet even knows this at the minute , He's used 7 different defenders for the 4 positions over his 5 games in charge. O'Shea & Bardsley (3 games at LB & 2 games at RB) being the only ones to play every game.

thanks wont be making the move for a few weeks so will keep an eye on it. Those two you mentioned were the ones I was thinking of.

Paully D

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

ah ye id only be using them at home. What is the sunderland back 4?

When everyone is fit, probably:

Celutska - O'Shea - Brown - Bardsley

If Poyet likes to play a proper LB at LB, then Dossena will probably go in there and Bardsley to RB in place of Celutska.

Other than that, there's next to zero chance of Brown staying fit and Cuellar or Roberge would be most likely to replace him.

skippy15

TotalFPl have both Brady and Chester as 1 week away, so even if back in two GW's i'd be quite happily set up for Christmas with them

roryc

Do people think Hart will get back into the team soon? He's about to drop to £6.1. After the next GW they have a pretty good Christmas, only really Arsenal and Liverpool to worry about and they're both at home.

Swansea (H)
West Brom (A)
Southampton (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Liverpool (H)
Crystal Palace (H)

Benimar

roryc wrote: »

Do people think Hart will get back into the team soon? He's about to drop to £6.1. After the next GW they have a pretty good Christmas, only really Arsenal and Liverpool to worry about and they're both at home.

Swansea (H)
West Brom (A)
Southampton (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Liverpool (H)
Crystal Palace (H)

I wouldn't buy Hart until he is actually back in the team as I think its too hard to say when that might be.

Keepers don't rotate in reality and I think Pantilimon has the jersey until he screws up. I don't buy this theory that Pelligrini will be under pressure to start Hart as he is Englands keeper. Pelligrinis loyalty is to Man City, not England.

Long story short - Hart could be back next week, but he might not be back for months either.

Iused2likebusts

roryc wrote: »

Do people think Hart will get back into the team soon? He's about to drop to £6.1. After the next GW they have a pretty good Christmas, only really Arsenal and Liverpool to worry about and they're both at home.

Swansea (H)
West Brom (A)
Southampton (A)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Liverpool (H)
Crystal Palace (H)

With kompany injured aswell its probably best to avoid city defensive coverage unless your in a position to risk pantimilon.

PARlance

Benimar wrote: »

I don't buy this theory that Pelligrini will be under pressure to start Hart as he is Englands keeper. Pelligrinis loyalty is to Man City, not England.

I think that's a bit naive, of course his loyalty is to City but the English press and media hold an awful lot of power in terms of Pelligrini's job security.


I agree that I'd hold off bringing Hart in until he was back, but I think Pantilimon will have to play out of his skin to keep his spot rather than the case of him having to screw up to get dropped.

On Hart, I think there's better options for the price.

manual_man

i saw this thread and imediately thought "how many FSA'ers are going to have their team well set up for christmas, but forget to buy any presents"

:pac:

Lemlin

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

With kompany injured aswell its probably best to avoid city defensive coverage unless your in a position to risk pantimilon.

I was told during the Summer that Pellegrini isn't a good manager defensively. I don't watch Spanish football so can't confirm or deny that but it appears to be true from City's defensive performance thus far.

He put out a disgraceful back 4 at the weekend against Sunderland as well. Whatever about those players individually or as part of a solid back four, collectively it was a joke of a selection.

I have Zab myself and will be dropping him as soon as the opportunity arises.

Benimar

PARlance wrote: »

I think that's a bit naive, of course his loyalty is to City but the English press and media hold an awful lot of power in terms of Pelligrini's job security.

Pellegrinis job security depends on Man City winning games, the owners don't care what the media think, not the City owners anyway. If they are winning with Pantilimon the media can bitch all they like, all he has to say is 'we're winning games'.

If he brings back Hart and Hart screws up, the media will kill Pellegrini anyway!

Also, I'm struggling to think of 1st choice keepers who were dropped and got back into their team quickly (except for injury/suspension). Pantilimon is no mug either.

Lucas Hood

Benimar wrote: »

Pellegrinis job security depends on Man City winning games, the owners don't care what the media think, not the City owners anyway. If they are winning with Pantilimon the media can bitch all they like, all he has to say is 'we're winning games'.

If he brings back Hart and Hart screws up, the media will kill Pellegrini anyway!

Also, I'm struggling to think of 1st choice keepers who were dropped and got back into their team quickly (except for injury/suspension). Pantilimon is no mug either.

De Gea & Szczęsny were both first choice keepers when they were dropped . Both came back from it stronger too .

Imo Hart will be back in goal soon enough. Probably even after the Internationals.