CAPTAINCY HYPE 2018/19: FPL Gameweek 5
Picking a Captain to double down on in the Fantasy Premier League is the most important question asked ahead of each of the 38 Gameweek's in the Premier League season. There's a lot of self-help out there for FPL enthusiasts, with our Hype Team providing three major considerations for the armband for each and every Gameweek. We'll be detailing the Essential choice for captain, a popular alternative that's pushing the consensus, and a Wildcard pick to add to the chaos. Captaincy can make of break a Gameweek so strap in tightly, it's time to lose your marbles. All aboard.
Fantasy Premier League: Gameweek Deadline
For the 2016/17 Premier League season, the FPL deadline will be one hour before the commencement of the week's first game. The Premier League website lists each FPL deadline, you can always ask on social media, and you can also view a real time countdown on our Weekly Hype page
CAPTAINCY HYPE: THE ESSENTIAL PICK
Our Essential picks for captain are selected each and every week on our main Twitter account, @RealHypeTrain, with four highly selected FPL options battling it out for alpha status amongst fellow FPL players.
Gameweek 5: Essential Captain
Player: Sergio Aguero (MCI)
Position: Forward
GW5 Fixture: Fulham (H)
Player Price: £11.3 million +
Player Selection %: 51.8%
Gameweek 5 this season could not come quickly enough. The international football schedule has taken its toll as widespread boredom amongst FPL and general football fans had most of us getting an early night.
Even before the two weeks of football purgatory stalled momentum in domestic leagues, there was always one clear choice for the armband this weekend. With Liverpool travelling to Spurs and Arsenal facing a defensively minded Newcastle, Sergio Aguero prevailed as our top pick this week.
The past fortnight has proven to be lucrative for Aguero. Another price rise is coupled with a significant drop in Mohamed Salah's ownership, all which puts Aguero at the summit of ownership. 51.8% of players own Aguero, which is more than any other player in the game. Only Salah and Aguero have a majority of players backing them.
The prospect of a home match against Fulham only solidifies what most Fantasy enthusiasts already knew - the Argentine's steep ownership curve should be too much to ignore.
Aguero's only significant return this season was in Gameweek 2's 6-1 home mauling of Huddersfield, with the Forward bagging a hat-trick of goals and assisting once. Aguero would later assist Kyle Walker's winner during Gameweek 4's home victory against Newcastle, though the masses will largely be disappointed with an assist against a Magpies side that parked the entire trailer park in front of Martin Dubravka's goal.
Talking about stats and probabilities is one thing, but this week our gut is also saying Aguero. Fulham don't seem to be equipped defensively in the same manner as Newcastle and look likelier to be hit for 6 than to mount a serious challenge against Pep Guardiola's side. The travelling Cottagers have shipped 9 goals this season, 5 away from home, whilst 7 goals scored indicates that City are potentially in for a complicated shift when keeping a clean sheet.
City haven't been ticking without Kevin De Bruyne's forward drive and pin-point accuracy, a deadly cocktail that is making Aguero suffer in front of goal. Goals in just 1 games, and plenty of missed chances though tell us that is is only a matter of time before another goldmine of a performance.
CAPTAINCY HYPE: THE ALTERNATIVE PICK
Our Alternative selection for captain typically commands a smaller FPL ownership percentage, but can be reserved for The Hype Train's own gut instincts on who could be captaincy inspiration.
Gameweek 5: Alternative Captain
Player: Eden Hazard (CHE)
Position: Midfielder
GW5 Fixture: Cardiff (H)
Player Price: £10.7 million +
Player Selection %: 19.9%
The biggest benefactor of the international break, without doubt, has been the rising stakes of Chelsea's Eden Hazard as an FPL option. The Belgian featured as our alternative captain last week to add a sense of déjà vu to the occasion for the weekend ahead. Hazard has seen a 5.2% rise in ownership, has raised in priced, is being considered a real alternative to Mohamed Salah and faces a mouth-watering home clash against an un-fancied Cardiff side.
When looking at captaincy alternatives to the masses of Aguero admirers this weekend, Hazard presents himself as the only real alternative. Chelsea arguably have a more favourable fixture.
Despite starting the first 2 Premier League matches as a substitute, Hazard has scored or assisted in all 4 games so far this season. 27 points is the exact number also managed by Mohamed Salah so far this campaign, but at the fraction of the cost, so it is understandable why there has been a 5% shift from Salah to Hazard this week. Hazard's also on penalty kicks, which doesn't hurt, even if spot-kicks have dried up in the past season until now.
The only caveat is that Hazard has big dips in form, as well as hot streak in FPL terms, so we're hoping that his combustible nature is a force of good as Mauricio Sarri looks for a 5th consecutive win in the league.
CAPTAINCY HYPE: THE WILDCARD PICK
Our Wildcard selection is one of the ten differential picks that is featured in our Weekly Wildcards article. This captaincy selection has a very small percentage of owners in the FPL, and is our left field option.
Gameweek 5: Wildcard Captain
Player: Danny Ings (SOU)
Position: Forward
GW5 Fixture: Brighton (H)
Player Price: £5.6 million +
Player Selection %: 6.7%
The time has come. Step forward Liverpool loanee, Danny Ings. The second his move to the South Coast was confirmed the FPL community was alerted to a then £5.5mil forward with goal potential. Since his move fantasy managers haven’t been disappointed. Two goals from three starts has put everyone on high alert as to the potential, and we are taking the plunge with the budget forward in the hotly anticipated Coastline Clash. Southampton and Brighton have had some cagey, and entertaining affairs, since their first clash in the Premier League.
Southampton have also surprised us, as it stands the Saints have had the fourth most amount of shots, only behind Man City, Chelsea, and former graduation club Liverpool. Ings has made a legitimate difference to the Saints fortunes, and his two goals doesn’t justify his impact. Brighton have lost both of their away games and are yet to keep a clean sheet which further cements our hope that Danny Ings is a stalwart option for the Gameweek.
Ings may not be a differential for much longer, so while he is within our grasp we’ll trust him to continue his strong start to the season.
Liverpool gave back to the community and look at the results.
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
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, live sport, and professional wrestling.
As well as providing FPL articles on our website, we are a founding Contributor to the new Fantasy Football Hub, where you can find more unique articles, including weekly Power Rankings, from The Hype Team. You can support us and read exclusive members only content for just £2 per-month by clicking here.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog 2016' by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), with the final presentation held at Old Trafford in Manchester.
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All aboard.
