Robert Austin

Home or Away? The Top 10 FPL Defenders

The clock is ticking. Thousands of Double Gameweek strategies swirl and conspire, tormenting the mind. All of a sudden, names once forgotten (Martial, Cabaye, and so forth) have come to prominence due to the fixture pile up in April. Most are contemplating dropping a steady stream of points in favour of risky wildcard selections that could explode with points, or completely bomb. Fourth and finally in our series of home and away players we delve into FPL defenders. Just like with goalkeepers, midfielders, and forwards, we question whether the top 10 performing men at the back are earning their points at home, or away from their grounds. We’re hoping to achieve at least an ounce of clarity regarding future fixtures and whether it’s risky business trusting a DGW defender at home or away. All aboard.

Home or Away? FPL Midfielders

It's crunch time in the Fantasy Premier League. Fixtures for the elusive Double Gameweeks are slowly being added to the FPL website, and many patient managers who have endured the winter months are heavily considering playing chips and the second wildcard for a points boost when the right time arises. With many changes abound, we evaluate the top 10 midfielders heading GW31, and ask the simple question... Do they produce better fantasy returns at home or away? Tricky fixtures for the likes of favourites Mesut Ozil, Roberto Firmino, and Dimitri Payet to name a few, have had us call into question whether or not we need to worry about these popular selections heading into this week and the future.

To read our sister article on midfielders, click here, or on the image below with cover stars Gylfi Sigurdsson and Mesut Ozil.

Home or Away? FPL Goalkeepers

On the eve of a packed Gameweek 31, which itself is on the eve of a two week international break, the Fantasy Premier League begins to run out of normality. With just a matter of weeks before bumper Double Gameweek fixtures, we ask the simple question. Are Goalkeepers earning more FPL points at home or away? Just like with our recent midfielders article, we provide a rundown of the top 10 points earners between the sticks. Midfielders are more profitable on the road, will shot stoppers follow suit, or are they men of home comforts?

To read our second sister article on goalkeepers, click here, or on the image below with cover stars Hugo Lloris and David de Gea.

Home or Away? FPL Forwards

Deep in the midst on an international break, and just weeks from a potentially defining DGW34, the FPL has time to reflect and plan as the most important weeks of the season are thrust upon our teams. With GW32 approaching heavyweight forward options such as Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane are likely to be disposed of, at least for a short spell, to make way for players playing twice. Martial, Rashford, Lukaku, and Aguero, may eat up the ownership of the established heavy hitters. In the third part of our series of whether or not players are performing better from a fantasy standpoint at home or away, we turn to the top of the pitch with forward options. 6 of the top 10 point scoring forwards are set for double duty during DGW34, and we look at whether they're hitting form on the road, or if fan support is the basis for fantasy points.

To read our third sister article on forwards, click here, or on the image below with cover stars Olivier Giroud and Jamie Vardy in their new international kits.

The simple question...

Requires the simple answer. For forwards we've looked just at overall points tallies from home and away fixtures running up until GW31, and after tapping away with a calculator have unearthered whether players are more effective from a fantasy standpoint in front of their own fans, or if they're more likely to keep clean sheets and manage attacking returns at rival grounds.

Notes on Alderweireld

In 2014/15, Toby Alderweireld managed 88 FPL points. After 31 games of the 2015/16 season, the Belgian international has managed 139 points, 51 points more this season than last, with 7 left to play.
Toby’s price has risen £1.5m since the beginning of the season. Alderweireld started the season as a 5m defender, and now commands a 6.5m price tag.
Spurs do not play in a single Double Gameweek this season. In GW34 Spurs travel to Stoke, whilst in GW37 Spurs host Southampton.
As of GW31, Toby is 13 points clear of the second best defensive option in the FPL, Hector Bellerin (126).
Spurs have only kept 4 clean sheets away from home this season. 7/11 clean sheets have come at the Lane.
With 13 bonus points, Alderweireld is joint 8th on the bonus points for defenders.
Toby’s 3 goals this season have all come at home, against teams in the top six (Man City, West Ham, and Arsenal).

Toby’s best home days…

GW4 (Everton, home): 6pts

GW6 (Crystal Palace, home): 6pts

GW7 (Man City, home): 9pts

GW9 (Liverpool, home): 6pts

GW13 (West Ham, home): 9pts

GW14 (Chelsea, home): 9pts

GW18 (Norwich, home): 6pts

GW25 (Watford, home): 8pts

GW29 (Arsenal, home): 7pts

GW31 (Bournemouth, home): 6pts

Toby’s best away days…

GW5 (Sunderland, away): 7pts

GW15 (West Brom, away): 6pts

GW17 (Southampton, away): 6pts

GW20 (Everton, away): 8pts

GW30 (Aston Villa, away): 7pts

Notes on Bellerin

The Spanish full-back has only missed 2 games this season. GW1 at home to West Ham, and GW12 at home to Spurs.
Unlike last season when Bellerin was a rotation risk, in the 28/30 games Bellerin has played, he’s not been subbed and has played the full 90 minutes in every game he’s played.
Bellerin and Arsenal have a clean sheet double against 3 teams so far this season: Newcastle, Bournemouth, and Stoke.
In 2014/15 Bellerin finished with 77 points. With 126 points, the right-back is already 49 points better off, with 8 games left to play.
Last season Bellerin scored 2 goals, and claimed one assist. This season Bellerin has yet to score, but has 5 assists. He’s had 2 more attacking returns this season.
With 14 bonus points, Bellerin is 7th on the list of defenders, with 1 more bonus than Toby Alderweireld.

Bellerin’s best home days…

GW3 (Liverpool, home): 7pts

GW5 (Stoke, home): 9pts

GW8 (Man United, home): 7pts

GW19 (Bournemouth, home): 7pts

GW20 (Newcastle, home): 6pts

GW24 (Southampton, home): 7pts

Bellerin’s best away days…

GW4 (Newcastle, away): 6pts

GW9 (Watford, away): 10pts

GW11 (Swansea, away): 6pts

GW16 (Aston Villa, away): 6pts

GW22 (Stoke, away): 6pts

GW25 (Bournemouth, away): 6pts

GW29 (Spurs, away): 9pts

GW31 (Everton, away): 12pts

Notes on Daniels

Charlie Daniels is penalty taker for Bournemouth, and has scored 2 from the spot this season. Daniels missed a penalty, but that was in the FA Cup defeat against Everton.
2015/16 is Daniels’s first season in the FPL. The Englishman has 3 goals and 5 assists, with 7 clean sheets.
Daniels has only missed 135 minutes of football this season. He missed the GW5 away game against Norwich, and only played 45 minutes against Leicester during GW4.
With 17 bonus points, Daniels is the 4th best defender in the FPL.
Only Scott Dann (5) and Patrick van Aanholt (5) have scored more goals than Daniels this season.
Bournemouth aren’t participating in the Double Gameweek fixtures. In GW34 the Cherries host Liverpool, and in GW37 Bournemouth play West Brom at home.
From 10/31 games this season, Daniels has managed just 1 point.
Daniels’s best haul against a single team is Norwich. Daniels missed the GW5 loss at Carrow Road, but managed 18 points from one game at the Vitality.
Daniels has scored 8 points on 2 occasions against Crystal Palace this season.

Daniels’s best home days…

GW6 (Sunderland, home): 9pts

GW18 (Crystal Palace, home): 8pts

GW22 (Norwich, home): 18pts

GW26 (Stoke, home): 5pts

GW28 (Southampton, home): 6pts

Daniels’s best away days…

GW15 (Chelsea, away): 6pts

GW17 (West Brom, away): 11pts

GW20 (Leicester, away): 6pts

GW24 (Crystal Palace, away): 8pts

GW27 (Watford, away): 8pts

GW29 (Newcastle, away): 8pts

Notes on van Dijk

Virgil joined the Saints at the close of the summer transfer market, meaning the former Celtic played missed the first 4 games of the season.
Of the 27 games Virgil’s played, he’s not missed a minute of action. Guaranteed game time.
All 3 of Virgil’s goals this season have come at home in games that Southampton haven’t kept a clean sheet. The goals came against Swansea (GW7), Leicester (GW9), and Sunderland (GW29).
Van Dijk has managed a single point from 6/27 games this season.
Virgil has been involved in 10 clean sheets this season. Southampton have kept 12 clean sheets this season.
Virgil is 5th in the list of defenders earning bonus points. The Dutch international has managed 16 bonus points in his debut BPL season.
Van Dijk’s best return against a single team is against Swansea. Virgil earned 9 points during GW7 and a further 9 points during GW26, totalling 18 points.

Virgil’s best home days…

GW7 (Swansea, home): 10pts

GW9 (Leicester, home): 9pts

GW11 (Bournemouth, home): 6pts

GW18 (Arsenal, home): 6pts

GW21 (Watford, home): 8pts

GW22 (West Brom, home): 6pts

GW25 (West Ham, home): 6pts

GW29 (Sunderland, home): 9pts

Virgil’s best away days…

GW5 (West Brom, away): 7pts

GW12 (Sunderland, away): 8pts

GW23 (Man United, away): 8pts

GW24 (Arsenal, away): 6pts

GW26 (Swansea, away): 9pts

Notes on Fuchs

The Austrian international only played 23 minutes of football between GW’s 1-7. Fuchs is only 21 points behind Toby Alderweireld, and if Fuchs had played and the scores remained the same, he’d have earned another 7 points based off appearance points alone.
Fuchs has managed 7 zero point weeks in the 2015/16 season so far. 6, Fuchs didn’t play. The other was during GW26’s 2-1 defeat against Arsenal.
Fuchs is second on the list of defenders that earn bonus points, with 19. He’s only behind Ashley Williams, who has 23 bonus points.
Fuchs has managed the maximum 3 bonus points on 4 occasions this season: GWs 10, 21, 27, and 31.
All of the top 5 FPL defenders have been in the BPL less than 2 years. Alderweireld and Bellerin are in their second seasons, whilst van Dijk, Daniels, and Fuchs, are in their first.
Fuchs has been a part of 12 Leicester clean sheets this season.
Leicester aren’t featuring in the Double Gameweek fixtures. In GW34 Leicester host West Ham, and in GW37 Leicester host Everton.

Fuchs’s best home days…

GW10 (Crystal Palace, home): 9pts

GW14 (Man United, home): 5pts

GW19 (Man City, home): 8pts

GW20 (Bournemouth, home): 6pts

GW23 (Stoke, home): 8pts

GW24 (Liverpool, home): 7pts

GW27 (Norwich, home): 9pts

GW30 (Newcastle, home): 7pts

Fuchs’s best away days…

GW13 (Newcastle, away): 6pts

GW15 (Swansea, away): 6pts

GW21 (Spurs, away): 12pts

GW25 (Man City, away): 6pts

GW29 (Watford, away): 5pts

GW31 (Crystal Palace, away): 9pts

Notes on Huth

Huth’s best return against a single team is Man City of all teams. Huth scored 6 points during GW19 and a massive 16 points during GW25’s 3-1 victory at the Etihad.
Leicester managed a double of clean sheets against Newcastle and Crystal Palace. Huth was involved in all 4 fixtures.
The former Germany international has played all but one game this season, and missed it via suspension. Huth missed GW17’s 3-2 victory away at Everton.
Huth’s 7 bonus points this season makes him the joint 35th best defender in that particular field. Huth has 12 less bonus points than Christian Fuchs (19).
Huth has managed only 1 better season in the FPL. In 2010/11, whilst at Stoke, the German managed 138 points. Huth is only 21 points behind his 4 year record.
The FPL has been running since 2006/2007, meaning Huth has been involved with all 10 FPL seasons.

Huth’s best home days…

GW10 (Crystal Palace, home): 7pts

GW19 (Man City, home): 6pts

GW20 (Bournemouth, home): 6pts

GW23 (Stoke, home): 6pts

GW24 (Liverpool, home): 8pts

GW27 (Norwich, home): 6pts

GW30 (Newcastle, home): 6pts

Huth’s best away days…

GW13 (Newcastle, away): 5pts

GW15 (Swansea, away): 6pts

GW21 (Spurs, away): 14pts

GW25 (Man City, away): 16pts

GW29 (Watford, away): 6pts

GW31 (Crystal Palace, away): 6pts

Notes on Sagna

Sagna is the top point’s scorer as a Man City defender. With Chelsea and Newcastle away for DGW34, and the risk of rotation with Zabaleta, Sagna isn’t on our histlist of defensive options for the week.
Sagna hasn’t played in 5/30 of Man City’s games this season.
To begin the season Sagna was the cheapest Man City defensive option at 5.0m, and currently prices in at 5.7m.
For defender bonus points, Bacary is joint 3rd with Charlie Daniels on 17 bonus. Only Williams (23), and Fuchs (19) have more.
Sagna’s best return against a single team is Everton. During GW21, Sagna finished with 9 points, and during GW3 the French international tallied another 9 points, totalling 19.
Sagna’s best season in the FPL was the 2013/14 season, in which he finished with 133 points. Bacary is only 20 points off beating that record.
Sagna have been a part of 12 Man City clean sheets this season.

Sagna’s best home days…

GW2 (Chelsea, home): 6pts

GW4 (Watford, home): 12pts

GW6 (West Ham, home): 3pts

GW21 (Everton, home): 9pts

GW29 (Aston Villa, home): 6pts

Sagna’s best away days…

GW1 (West Brom, away): 6pts

GW3 (Everton, away): 9pts

GW5 (Crystal Palace, away): 7pts

GW10 (Man United, away): 6pts

GW12 (Aston Villa, away): 6pts

GW17 (Arsenal, away): 7pts

GW19 (Leicester, away): 6pts

GW20 (Watford, away): 7pts

GW24 (Sunderland, away): 5pts

GW30 (Norwich, away): 6pts

Notes on Williams

Only Toby Alderweireld (82) has managed more home points than Ashley Williams (77).
This is the first season Ashley Williams has scored 2 goals in 1 season. Williams scored in GW22 at home to Watford, and in GW28’s 2-1 away win at Arsenal.
Williams’s best FPL season was his first, the 2011/12 season. Williams managed 123 points, and is only 11 points behind that record.
Swansea aren’t featuring in the Double Gameweek fixtures, but they do play teams involved in a DGW. For GW34, Swansea travel to Newcastle and for GW37 the Swans travel to West Ham.
As you’ve probably guessed by now, Williams leads the bonus points chart for defenders, with a whopping 23 points to his name.
Williams has gained the maximum 3 bonus points on 6 occasions, with 3 games coming in a row (GWs 17, 18, & 19).

Williams’s best home days…

GW2 (Newcastle, home): 9pts

GW6 (Everton, home): 8pts

GW17 (West Ham, home): 9pts

GW18 (West Brom, home): 9pts

GW22 (Watford, home): 15pts

GW29 (Norwich, home): 9pts

GW31 (Aston Villa, home): 8pts

Williams’s only away days…

GW19 (Crystal Palace, away): 9pts

GW28 (Arsenal, away): 9pts

Notes on Dann

Dann is the highest scoring defender this season, with 5 goals. He’s joint on 5 with Sunderland’s Patrick van Aanholt, who scored 4 goals in 4 consecutive games.
Despite scoring 5 goals as a defender, Dann has only managed 11 bonus points, which ranks him at joint 13th.
Dann has played in 29/30 games this season, only missing the GW6 1-0 loss to Spurs.
Crystal Palace have kept 6 clean sheets this season. Dann has been a part of all 6.
The 2015/16 season is already proving to be Dann’s best. Currently on 112 points, the next best season was 2014/15 when the Englishman finished on 105 points.
Dann scored against both Merseyside clubs away from home this season (GW12 against Liverpool, and GW15 verses Everton)

Dann’s best home days…

GW3 (Aston Villa, home): 14pts

GW8 (West Brom, home): 7pts

GW11 (Man United, home): 6pts

GW16 (Southampton, home): 6pts

GW19 (Swansea, home): 6pts

GW24 (Bournemouth, home): 6pts

Dann’s best away days…

GW7 (Watford, away): 9pts

GW12 (Liverpool, away): 10pts

GW15 (Everton, away): 9pts

GW18 (Bournemouth, away): 6pts

GW25 (Swansea, away): 9ts

GW28 (Sunderland, away): 3pts

Notes on Koscielny

Koscielny and Nacho Monreal have the same amount of points (111). The French international makes the list probably due to alphabetical order.
Laurent has earned a single bonus point on 5 occasions this season, 4 of those said points are away from home.
The Frenchman’s best return against a single team is Newcastle. During GW4 Laurent claimed 7 points, and scored 15 points during GW20’s 1-0 win, in which Koscielny scored.
The Holy Grail for FPL defenders is the 15 point mark. That entails playing more than 60 minutes, earning a clean sheet, scoring, and claiming all 3 bonus points. Koscielny has achieved this feat twice this season (GW11 against Swansea, and GW20 verses Newcastle).
Koscielny’s best season came during 2013/14, with the defender finishing with 155 points. Laurent is currently 44 points behind that mark. With 8 games left, the Frenchman is enduring his 3rd best season in the FPL.
With 15 bonus points, Koscielny is 6th in the list of defenders that have claimed extra points.

Koscielny’s best home days…

GW5 (Stoke, home): 7pts

GW10 (Everton, home): 10pts

GW20 (Newcastle, home): 15pts

GW24 (Southampton, home): 6pts

Koscielny’s best away days…

GW4 (Newcastle, away): 7pts

GW9 (Watford, away): 7pts

GW11 (Swansea, away): 15pts

GW16 (Aston Villa, away): 8pts

GW22 (Stoke, away): 7pts

GW25 (Bournemouth, away): 6pts

GW31 (Everton, away): 7pts

Verdict

With this being the fourth and last home or away compilation, we’ve found out prior to this that Goalkeepers and Forwards are more profitable at time, whilst midfielders are earning more points away from home. To add a new variable into the mix, the top ten defenders are split in half, with 4/5 of the top 10 gaining points at home, whilst the lower half are peppering their tallies with more points away from home. Here’s a quick rundown of the even spread we’ve found with defenders.

Toby Alderweireld: Home

Héctor Bellerín: Away

Charlie Daniels: Home

Virgil van Dijk: Home

Christian Fuchs: Home

Robert Huth: Away

Bacary Sagna: Away

Ashley Williams: Home

Scott Dann: Away

Laurent Koscielny: Away

Totals: 5 home, 5 away

With the Double Gameweek fixtures fast approaching, 4/10 from this list feature twice in the same Gameweek (Bellerin, Sagna, Dann, and Koscielny). Scott Dann plays twice in both GW33 and GW34 and has a real opportunity of climbing the FPL defenders rankings. Bellerin and Arsenal defenders will be in high demand, whilst Petr ech is on the verge of a comeback and is set (at the moment) to take part in the Double Gameweek fixtures. The message is simple though with defenders, the upper echelon are safer at home, and those rearing up the pack are more reliable away from home.

All aboard.