Weekly Wildcards: Gameweek Twenty-Seven

Every week The Hype Train analyses the best wildcard options for your Fantasy Premier League teams. Historically weekly dream team’s comprise of mostly wildcard players whose selection falls under 5% of overall players, to which there is no doubt that their influence cannot be ignored. With such an abundance of points coming from the FPL’s hidden gems The Hype Train selects one player from each match in the upcoming gameweek to decide who could be the differential for your teams.

LAST WEEKS PERFORMANCE (GW 26)

Hit and miss describes gameweek twenty six’s wildcard picks. Completely random can also be used, for example Aaron Lennon not picking up points as West Brom robbed Everton at Goodison Park for all three points, and Norwich turning on the heat to score two past the Hammers Adrian. Newcastle also scoring late on to deny John Terry a deserved clean sheet could also is chalked up to being ‘one of them moments’ for FPL managers confident of points. This week’s successes were Daniels, Adebayor, and Milner who also secured points in gameweek twenty six. This was also the first week where four players got one point in the same week.

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson: 1pt

Charlie Daniels: 5pts

Emmanuel Adebayor: 7pts

Aaron Lennon: 2pts

Adrian: 1pt Alberto Paloschi: 2pts

John Terry: 1pt

Christian Fuchs: 1pt James Milner: 8pts Kieran Trippier: 0pts

Gameweek 26 Average Points: 41pts

Gameweek 26 Wildcard Points: 29pts

TEAM OF THE WEEK WILDCARDS

For once in a lifetime three Liverpool players featured in the dream team, and only one of them was a wildcard. Kolo Toure cemented his place as a Red’s cult favourite after the Ivorian nodded in Henderson’s cross to deplete Villa’s care for the game. Four out of the five defensive options (including goalkeeper) are wildcards this week, which is what is so interesting about each dream team. The best defenders week to week vary so much and are surprising for many reasons. One off goals such as Kolo’s in the last gameweek are defining for wildcards, the other week we had Joleon Lescott in the Dream Team after making his first points returns in over thirteen weeks.

In the attacking and midfield options it was dominated by non-wildcard options bar Pedro and Afellay who both scored against struggling squads, and leading the line of course if Troy Deeney, our wildcard king, scoring twice against a rapidly declining Crystal Palace.

If you have recently visited from the future please tell us which random defenders will be scoring this week so we can all make a one-off transfer.

Wildcards: Foster, Toure, Olsson, van Dijk, Pedro, Afellay, Deeney (7)

Non Wildcards: Clyne, Coutinho, Willian, Payet (4)

Points achieved by Wildcards: 80pts

Points achieved by Non-Wildcards: 54pts

THIS WEEKS WILDCARDS

For this gameweek we are once again selecting ten wildcards, one for each game. Same rules apply: the players we choose must not be selected by more than five percent of the games players. We start in order of the games listed on the official Fantasy Premier League site. There are only eight wildcards as Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Everton do not feature this gameweek.

The wildcard options selection percentage is accurate as of Wednesday 17/02/2016.

EMMANUEL EMENIKE, WEST HAM VS SUNDERLAND

Name: Emmanuel Emenike

Club: West Ham

Position: Forward Price: £5.0mil Ownership: 0.1%

Fresh from scoring two goals against Blackburn in the FA Cup the Nigerian striker looks set to make his full Premier League debut against Sunderland at the weekend. Emenike impressed with his footwork, willingness to run, and his pure beast mode in the win at the weekend and with the support of Moses, the returning Lanzini, Payet, Antonio, and Noble there could be plenty of goals to come for the on-loan striker.

Last Three 24 – AVL (H) – 0pts

25 – SOU (A) – 1pt

26 – NOR (A) – 1pt Next Three

27 – SUN (H) – 27th February, 12:45pm

28 – TOT (H) – 2nd March, 19:45pm

29 – EVE (A) – 5th March, 15:00pm

CHRISTIAN FUCHS, LEICESTER VS NORWICH

Name: Christian Fuchs

Club: Leicester City

Position: Defender Price: £4.8mil Ownership: 3.3%

Leicester has approached a glorious run of games against opponents that you could point at and say they have no chance of beating the Foxes. Fuchs has been instrumental at the back for Leicester and offers points from both defending and attacking. Norwich looks susceptible to conceding every game even after making some interesting signings in January. The best thing about adding Fuchs to your team is that you wouldn’t have to worry about rotating him out of your FPL team for the next ten games. You would be a fool not to trust the Leicester back four, and Fuchs won’t be rotated. At this point in the season it might be worth doubling down on two Leicester defenders.

Last Three 24 – LIV (H) – 7pts

25 – MCI (A) – 6pts

26 – ARS (A) – 0pts Next Three

27 – NOR (H) – 27th February, 15:00pm

26 – WBA (H) – 1st March, 19:45pm

29 – WAT (A) – 5th March, 17:30pm

FRASER FORSTER, SOUTHAMPTON VS CHELSEA

Name: Fraser Forster

Club: Southampton

Position: Goalkeeper Price: £5.0 Ownership: 3.8%

How could we not include Forster? The England international is on the form of his life after returning to the Saint’s first team after a long layoff. Chelsea will be wary over Southampton who beat them at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, and also because Forster doesn’t look like he is conceding for the rest of the season. In our review of the potential goalkeepers for this gameweek we rated Forster as the best potential for points due to his excellent form in the last six gameweeks. Everyone in the team sincerely hopes Forster wins the Player of the Month Award for February. The Saints are keeping clean sheets for fun and even Chelsea can be stopped, they are mostly drawing in the league so it could lucky number seven for the giant Forster.

Last Three 24 – ARS (A) – 12pts

25 – WHU (H) – 6pts

26 – SWA (A) – 6pts Next Three

27 – CHE (H) – 27th February, 15:00pm

28 – BOU (A) – 1st March, 19:45pm

29 – SUN (H) – 5th March, 15:00pm

XHERDAN SHAQIRI, STOKE CITY VS ASTON VILLA

Name: Xherdan Shaqiri

Club: Stoke City

Position: Midfielder Price: £6.4mil Ownership: 1.6%

Aston Villa are in shambles, and The Hype Train doesn’t know what is worse: losing to Liverpool by six goals on home soil, or your first team losing two goals to one at the hands of their reserves in a friendly match. Mark Hughes must be thanking his lucky stars that they visit, they demolished Bournemouth at the weekend and this could very easily be a rout if the attacking players turn it on this weekend. One such man is Xherdan Shaqiri who comes hot off bagging an assist on the weekend against the Cherries. His speed, direct play, set-pieces, and flair make his hot property this gameweek against possibly one of the worst teams ever seen in the Premier League. Goals could be coming in this game, and last season banking against the bottom team always seemed to pay off.

Last Three 24 – MUN (A) – 0pts

25 – EVE (H) – 2pts

26 – BOU (A) – 5pts Next Three

27 – AVL (H) – 27th February, 15:00pm

28 – NEW (H) – 2nd March, 19:45pm

29 – CHE (A) – 5th March, 15:00pm

TROY DEENEY, WATFORD VS AFC BOURNEMOUTH

Name: Troy Deeney

Club: Watford

Position: Forward Price: £5.2mil Ownership: 4.3%

Like fools The Hype Train did not include Deeney in our wildcard picks last week, it is always the way when you leave someone out they end up getting into the dream team. Bournemouth visit Watford at the weekend and we are sure that all eyes will be on the fluid Hornets attack against a hold and cold Bournemouth defence. Deeney is legitimate and before the season started we touted him to have a great return to the Premier League, and Deeney is rewarding that faith as he is in the top ten strikers so far this season, and with Ighalo playing ahead of him he can be both provider and scorer. Don’t forget he also takes the penalties for Watford and that could be a huge factor for his selection. King Deeney returns to the wildcards to once again sit on the differential throne.

Last Three 24 – CHE (H) – 2pts

25 – TOT (A) – 1pt

26 – CRY (A) – 13pts Next Three

27 – BOU (H) – 27th February, 15:00pm

28 – MUN (A) – 2nd March, 20:00pm

29 – LEI (H) – 5th March, 17:30pm

SAIDO BERAHINO, WEST BROM VS CRYSTAL PALACE

Name: Saido Berahino

Club: West Brom

Position: Forward Price: £5.8mil Ownership: 4.2%

Keen to resume the season now the transfer window has finally shut the future England international goes up against a weakened Crystal Palace who have nose-dived in form. Berahino has started the last game and it is expected that he is going to keep his place in the team ahead of this fixture. It is easy to forget that once upon a time last season he was a valid option, this forgetfulness might be costly to FPL managers with Crystal Palace defenders who will be hoping that Saido can be contained. In this match he is the standout attacking option, a controversial one, but an option who has that goal scoring touch West Brom have missed.

Last Three 24 – SWA (H) – 1pt

25 – NEW (A) – 1pt

26 – EVE (A) – 2pts Next Three

27 – CRY (H) – 27th February, 17:30pm

28 – LEI (A) – 1st March, 19:45pm

29 – MUN (H) – 6th March, 16:00pm

AARON RAMSEY, MANCHESTER UNITED VS ARSENAL

Name: Aaron Ramsey

Club: Arsenal

Position: Midfielder Price: £8.0mil Ownership: 3.5%

Nobody is sure if Manchester United’s victory in the Europa League is a good thing or not, especially because they are now potentially without Antony Martial. In equal measures nobody is sure if Arsenal losing to Barcelona will take the wind out of their sails. This is a terrible fixture to pick a wildcard as no defenders of real quality are available to select as a wildcard, normally low scoring this fixture could have nothing or everything. Right in the middle of that is Aaron Ramsey, capable of picking up a clean sheet point and also chipping in with goals and assists when he needs to. The Welshman scored in their recent away games so FPL managers will be hoping that he strikes lightening twice on away trips.

Last Three 24 – SOU (H) – 3pts

25 – BOU (A) – 6pts

26 – LEI (H) – 1pt Next Three

27 – MUN (A) – 28th February, 14:05pm

28 – SWA (H) – 2nd March, 19:45pm

29 – TOT (A) – 5th March, 12:45pm

KEVIN WIMMER, SPURS VS SWANSEA

Name: Kevin Wimmer

Club: Spurs

Position: Defender Price: £4.6mil Ownership: 0.3%

Tottenham are looking a different beast to last season, who would have thought that one year ago the Londoners would be doing a double over Manchester City. Filling in at centre half for Spurs due to key injuries is Kevin Wimmer, an Austrian team-mate of fellow wildcard Christian Fuchs. Cheap, reliable, and great value for money, the centre back looks as if a blooming partnership with Big Toby in the heart of their defence is blossoming into a niche of FPL points for managers. Swansea hasn’t been in amazing goal-scoring form in recent weeks and everyone is expecting Spurs to keep a clean sheet in this fixture. The selection of Wimmer was an easy one, particularly because the better midfielders in the Spurs attack are no longer wildcards.

Last Three 24 – NOR (A) – 6pts

25 – WAT (H) – 7pts

26 – MCI (A) – 1pts Next Three

27 – SWA (H) – 28th February, 14:05pm

28 – WHU (A) – 2nd March, 19:45pm

29 – ARS (H) – 5th March, 12:45pm

For all GW 27 build up, check out the Weekly Hype page now.

All aboard.