WEEKLY WILDCARDS 2018/19: FPL Gameweek 10
Ahead of each round of Premier League games The Hype Train analyses the best wildcard player options for your Fantasy Premier League teams. Historically, weekly FPL Dream Team’s comprise of mostly differential players whose selection falls with a low selection percentage 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 Premier League match in the upcoming Gameweek to decide who could be the differential that sets your team apart. All aboard.
WILDCARDS: WHAT IS A DIFFERENTIAL PLAYER?
The rules for the 2015/16 season were easy enough to follow. The only rule was that a player had be to selected by less than 5% of the FPL's populace. With 2016/17's price changes, and player selection trends, we were been forced to revise our rules on what constitutes a differential. In the 2017/18 season, after testing the waters with selection, there are just not enough differentials with the classification in each position from years past, so we have introduced position specific rules regarding what is and isn't a wildcard/differential player in the FPL that we believe is representative to the game this season.
Goalkeepers
- Any shot stopper outside of the top 8 selected. A differential Goalkeeper is now considered outside of the top bracket due to the overwhelming ownership selection % of the top 8 GK's for any one Gameweek.
- A GK's ownership must not exceed 10%
Defenders
- A Defender's ownership must fall below 8%, with the top 20 owned defenders all harbouring 8% ownership or more.
- The Outsider Rule: This new rule applies to defenders who are the last defensive option in a team who we provide an exception to as the 4th of 5th most owned defender from one team if they offer a different value. For Example, if Chelsea or Spurs have three defenders with 10% plus ownership, and their 4th defender choice has downwards of 10% ownership, we will include them as a differential, as they are outside of the common conversation when picking defenders, even from within their own squad. This rule will mostly be used when adding defenders from top half clubs, who lack proper differential status for their defensive options.
Midfielders
- Any Midfielder under 8% ownership is classified as a differential.
- Our percentage criteria of 8% is due to a greater wealth of premium midfielders. There is a monopoly of top midfielders for most Premier League clubs, leaving only a handful of Midfielders that provide differential options on a weekly basis.
Forwards
- The top 10 most owned Forwards in the FPL at any given time can not be touched as a differential.
- Any Forward outside of the 10% ownership range, who is not in the top 10 owned forwards.
GAMEWEEK WILDCARD DIFFERENTIALS
For each FPL Gameweek we select a wildcard player from each game.
We do not select a back-up player for the differentials we bank on – that’s the whole point, being a wildcard.
The selection percentage and player price is accurate with the posting of the article.
Our rundowns of player selections are representative of the Premier League’s TV fixture list.
Weekly Differentials (GW10)
Well, GW9 was interesting, or possible very frustrating for a lot of people. Few good things came out of last weekend, so it might be time to start looking at some alternatives to spice up your team. The good news is that every week we select a differential from every game that goes under the radar, so if you are looking for some post GW9 transfer therapy look no further than the ten differentials we have judged to be of good value heading into the weekends action.
Goalkeepers (2/10):
Mathew Ryan (BHA), Alex McCarthy (SOU)
Mathew Ryan (BRIGHTON vs. Wolves)
The Aussie in the sticks is the eight-best goalkeeper in the FPL this season so far, and with a good run of fixtures on the cards, up next is Wolves who just suffered a loss to Watford. Brighton will be reliant on their home performances and Ryan will be a big part of that. Accumulating 20pts in the last two weeks the signs are good for owners of the Seagulls goalkeeper.
Alex McCarthy (SOUTHAMPTON vs. Newcastle)
Newcastle make their longest away trip of the season this weekend when they travel to Southampton. The worst news is that they have absolutely no form whatsoever which is worrying for the under pressure Rafa Benitez. It is only just we bank on Southampton assets, and after last weeks 0-0 draw in the Coastline Clash we can’t see a better option than McCarthy in goal.
Defenders (2/10):
Dejan Lovren (LIV), Antonio Rüdiger (CHE)
Dejan Lovren (LIVERPOOL vs. Cardiff)
The ‘Worlds Best Defender’ has been terrific since his return to Klopp’s starting eleven. The Croat was a titan against Man City, and was a rock against Huddersfield, and in both encounters has maximum bonus points, making him the only player in the FPL to have a hundred percent record. Could it be a third successive three bonus points for Lovren? Liverpool host Cardiff…it could be very, very possible.
Antonio Rüdiger (Burnley vs. CHELSEA)
Chelsea have surprised everyone this season for one reason…they have been competitive. Sarri even rotates his squad for Europa League games and has the strongest squad in the Premier League bar none. The Italian can rotate Christensen and Cahill with Rüdiger and Luiz which means the established duo will be fresh for their travel to Burnley. We can’t see anything other than a Chelsea win, and the German has been adding goals to his game lately too.
Midfielders (4/10):
Gerard Deulofeu (WAT), Raheem Sterling (MCI), Anthony Martial (MUN), Mesut Özil (ARS)
Gerard Deulofeu (WATFORD vs. Huddersfield)
We all know who Deulofeu is, a nomadic Spanish winger who has been acquired by Barcelona on two separate occasions and still ended up in mid-table Premier League teams. After being on loan to Watford after the January transfer window the Spaniard has made his move permanent, and he had a very impressive display against Wolves who were stung by the Hornets last weekend. The Spaniard is a wild stab in the dark, but an attacking threat we can’t overlook in this game with Huddersfield coming to town.
Mesut Özil (Crystal Palace vs. ARSENAL)
After Thursday nights Europa League win the Gunners are on an eleven-match unbeaten streak. The controversial German may not be the star man in Europe, but after his performance against Leicester, Özil is having a career resurgence under Unai Emery. Crystal Palace haven’t scored at home this season, and with Arsenal scoring two or more goals in every game except their opening game against Man City he could be a pivotal figure in downing the Eagles.
Raheem Sterling (Spurs vs. MAN CITY)
Spurs versus Manchester City is a simple affair…Man City will most likely win. So, we pick goal scorers and fortunately there is a goal scoring differential in Raheem Sterling. We believe that Sterling will be brought back in by Pep for the big fixtures and with his ownership about to soar over the eight percent threshold this might be the last time we see the Englishman in the differentials this season.
Forwards (2/10):
Joshua King (BOU), Jamie Vardy (LEI)
Joshua King (Fulham vs. BOURNEMOUTH)
Let’s make this simple. Bournemouth are having a good season and scoring goals. The only game they have not scored in was last week against Southampton. Fulham their opponents, have shipped three or more goals on five occasions this season, and are yet to keep a clean sheet. The Cottagers have had twelve goals shipping past them in their last three games alone. The signs are there for another horrible afternoon for Fulham, and a great one for Bournemouth.
Jamie Vardy (LEICESTER vs. West Ham)
Well, it appears Jamie Vardy had a night to remember at Arsenal. The former England striker had to leave the pitch due to ‘illness’ and didn’t come back. He must have been rotten seeing his team try and defend against the wave after wave of Arsenal attack. Things can’t get worse, they can only get better. West Ham visit the King Power and they are their for the taking, and Vardy is the best chance of that happening.
Key Differential: Anthony Martial (MAN UNITED vs. Everton)
When you think of Manchester United differentials you think of players like Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford, not for the best of reasons all the time, but rarely do we decide to put our faith in Anthony Martial who has in the past been rotated in and out of the team like a suitcase stuck on an airport luggage conveyor belt. Alexis Sanchez has been hit-and-miss with the differentials since his move to the Red Devil’s because he has been largely ineffective and unable to do the simple things he was doing as Arsenal for fun, like you know, scoring goals.
Despite the recent rocky spell of Jose Mourinho’s team there has been one shining light for the Portuguese and that is the Frenchman who has registered an incredible four attacking returns in the past two weeks alone. Martial has collected 28pts and has earned the three bonus points in both GW8 and GW9. Dare we say it, but we are in a time where Anthony Martial is a pivotal part of United’s attacking setup. The goal he scored against Chelsea was the most standout of the four returns, and Jose would need to be committed if he wasn’t to start Martial against Everton who will put in a stubborn display.
There hasn’t been a time we can remember when Martial was so important to Man United, nor being the most likely differential to make the biggest impact this weekend. Jamie Vardy might still be feeling rotten after an illness, Sterling could be rotated, and Joshua King may continue his relatively poor form when playing away from home. Martial, ironically, doesn’t have any bad indicators going into this weekend and in the form he is currently in could spark another double-digit performance from the midfielder.
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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, live sport, and professional wrestling.
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All aboard.
