PREMIER LEAGUE TRANSFERS: Will They Play?
The transfer market has offered some huge surprises so far, teams are looking more diverse and questionable with each passing day. In the first of a series regarding transfers, The Hype Train questions whether or not the players brought in by teams will play, the last thing any FPL manager wants is to have nothing but disappointment on the opening day when they see the team sheets only to find that the league’s latest acquisitions relegated to the bench. Will the newbies play?
The questions asked will always be the same: are they near the starting eleven, and if so, will they be heavily rotated. Getting down to brass-tax The Hype Train evaluates if the new signings are going to be getting minutes on the pitch.
SADIO MANE
Club: Liverpool FC
Price: £9.0
Position: Midfielder
Starting XI: Yes
Rotation Risk: High
First three: ARS (a), BUR (a), TOT (a)
Kloppster has been hard at work in the transfer market with Liverpool, and the big German wasted literally no time in tying down Sadio Mane to a long term contract at Liverpool before the window even officially opened. The former Saint’s forward peaked in form towards the end of the last season and Klopp will be hoping he can inspire the same heroics as Liverpool travel to a Euros-weary Arsenal squad that could be depleted until the third or fourth gameweek. The answer to the question if whether Mane will get regular minutes is easy: yes. Jürgen has made Sadio the most expensive Liverpool player for a good reason, the attacking unit at Liverpool lacked an intense and pacey threat. He will most likely played on the right flank but could see value if he is paired up front with Firmino or Sturridge. Take a step back though, go onto the FPL website and see the huge list of midfielders and forwards available to Liverpool.
The Red’s boast the biggest rotation crisis currently in the FPL…at this point it is a guessing game as to who will be starting, getting substituted, or playing in correct position. Klopp rotates his forwards if they have pressed heavily in a game, so Sadio might be at risk of being a sixty minute man. Sadio will play, but the rotation risk just makes it a huge risk for a player with a £9.0mil price-tag. Bravery is required to select him, but there are worse picks when it boils down to it.
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN
Club: Manchester United
Price: £9.5
Position: Midfielder
Starting XI: Yes
Rotation Risk: Low
First three: BOU (a), SOU (h), HUL (a)
The new Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho has stated his needs for specialists to play in this revamped Manchester United team, and the signing of Mkhitaryan from Borussia Dortmund has indeed turned heads. The Armenian has featured heavily in draft teams across the lands and if you look at the way Jose operates he utilises few players, preferring one core unit over the need to rotate. Mourinho is secretly an FPL guru as he offers players in a team that will play one way with a stable set of players. The Europa League throws a spanner in the works but as both creator and goal-scorer the Portuguese will be intent on seeing his main specialist reserved for league fixtures. If you look at the way Chelsea were set up the role that Mkhitaryan will be playing is the same as the role that Hazard was playing in his tenure with the Blues, tasked with being the main threat from the wing. Despite arguments on the blood curdling price tag it is hard to look away from Henrikh if the Red Devils start off the season in good form.
AHMED MUSA
Club: Leicester City
Price: £7.5
Position: Forward
Starting XI: No
Rotation Risk: High
First three: HUL (a), ARS (h), SWA (h)
The ‘Tinkerman’ has been adding to his squad since a historic and memorable title campaign, whilst the BBC will only tell you that two Manchester clubs exist in the Premier League we are still confident that nothing has changed with Leicester. The purchase of Ahmed Musa makes sense for the champions, but for your FPL teams it doesn’t. Musa has been brought to alleviate the burden on Jamie Vardy’s shoulders, he might even play a winger in a four-three-three with Mahrez and Vardy (we know, terrifying), but in terms of actual minutes we very sceptical. Musa might actually even reduce the minutes of Vardy who scored twenty four goals last season, he seems suited to playing the Leicester way and could be used as fresh legs to keep Vardy fitter in and around crucial Champions League fixtures. Musa won’t start, but he will be rotated heavily if he comes off the bench.
JORDAN IBE
Club: AFC Bournemouth
Price: £5.5
Position: Midfielder
Starting XI: Yes
Rotation Risk: Moderate
First three: MNU (h), WHU (a), CRY (a)
Eddie Howe broke the Cherries transfer record to bring Liverpool winger in to replace Matt Ritchie following the Scotsman’s transfer to Newcastle United, it is actually encouraging to see a team put that much faith and trust in English talent which is why The Hype Train adores the motives the Eddie Howe. The winger who can play on either flank will be a starter, in the hype of the new season Howe has expressed his ambition to make Ibe a regular England international, these are encouraging words and if he is able to do that he has also given the FPL a true golden nugget of a cheap midfielder. The only wind of caution is the high probability of rotation, he is still new, and there are three other reliable wingers in the team that include Stanislas, Pugh, and Gradel. The good news on that front is that they are all predominantly left-wingers so Ibe should be a safe bet to be a regular on the right hand side of attack.
STEVE MANDANDA
Club: Crystal Palace
Price: £4.5
Position: Goalkeeper
Starting XI: Maybe
Rotation Risk: High
First three: WBA (h), TOT (a), BOU (h)
Brought in from Marseille, hailed by Alan Pardew as a ‘winner’, the Frenchman is a serious statement and joins a club whose aspirations are big. The dilemma for choosing Mandanda is that Wayne Hennessey has been in great form since establishing himself as number one choice at Selhurst Park, something that will get on the nerves of FPL managers. This isn’t helped by the fact Wales had a great Euros and Hennessey was a rock in the backline, his stock definitely has risen in the past twelve months. Mandanda would be the preferred choice by the FPL, but even if he did start they could rotate, Pardew wasn’t afraid to switch up his goalkeeping options if anyone fell into bad form.
People have even contemplated having both Hennessey and Mandanda to ensure that one of them will play the opening fixture, a shroud tactic that might pay off. Crystal Palace have a good looking run-in and might actually be worth a gamble if you are brave, and one of them will always play so there won’t be the need to rotate unless the Eagles form dives and they are not worth their value anymore.
VICTOR VALDES
Club: Middlesbrough
Price: £4.5
Position: Goalkeeper
Starting XI: Maybe
Rotation Risk: High
First three: STK (h), SUN (a), WBA (a)
Like Mandanda the burning question still remains: will Valdes start and be a reliable source. We would like to think so, there is no point in bringing Victor Valdes without playing him, but Boro are wildcards and might start their season paying homage to the team that got them promoted. Their Greek keeper (insert) has been a rock for them and Karanka may feel he has earned his chance in the Premier League. Veteran keepers can be brought in to also help with the coaching, quality, and putting pressure on the other keepers to perform at the top level. The likelihood is that Valdes will start but if you decide to start him it might leave you itching until the final line-ups have been announced. Playing it safe with a reliable source might be more beneficial, Valdes could also be drafted in once there is assurance of minutes.
Below is a list of the players reviewed in this series, they will be ranked as to the value of their starting and rotation potentials.
Will They Play?
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (MUN): Starter, low rotation risk.
Jordan Ibe (BOU): Starter, moderate rotation risk.
Sadio Mane (LIV): Starter, high rotation risk.
Victor Valdes (MID): Potential starter, high rotation risk.
Steve Mandanda (CRY): Potential starter, high rotation risk.
Ahmed Musa (LEI): Bench, high rotation risk.
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The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015 specialising in the Fantasy Premier League (#FPL), providing beautiful graphics and weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb ranking tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review movies, television, live music, festivals, and any relevant topic in the public eye.
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