The Premier League is finally back, Fantasy Football is back and most importantly, 2 In 2 Out IS BACK! Welcome, to 2 In 2 Out, the series where I will be suggesting 2 players for you to bring into your fantasy football teams and 2 players that you should boot out of your team or avoid! The aim is to achieve green arrows weekly and avoid the red ones permanently!
Let’s get on with the first batch of suggestions and get off to a good start.
IN
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester, Midfielder, 5.9m)
If you told me before the season started that Leicester would be unbeaten in their first four games, third in the Premier League table and Riyad Mahrez would be the joint top scorer with 4 goals in 4 games I would tell you to put the vodka away! 15 points, 10 points, 10 points – this is what Mahrez has scored in his first three gameweeks, massive points! The midfielder has been a constant threat for Leicester and has really helped Leicester continue their form from the end of last season despite them changing managers.
Mahrez’s price started at 5.5m and has already increased to 5.9m. He is a crucial piece to Leicester’s attack and will always be looking forward to score and assist. Leicester’s next three fixtures are – Aston Villa (H), Stoke (A) and Arsenal (H). It is fair to say that these are three fixtures in which Leicester will be confident of getting goals past the defence and with a ruthless Riyad Mahrez in the thick of it. Little price, little risk with a big return makes Riyad Mahrez my first suggestion.
David Silva (Manchester City, Midfielder, 10.2m)
David Silva is THE best player in the Premier League at the moment for me, there is no ifs, buts or maybe’s about it! He has been the heartbeat in Man City’s team, keeping the tempo high and the attacks alive. The Spaniard’s assist statistics in the Premier League are phenomenal with him averaging 12.4 assists a season over the five years we have had him in England. You are guaranteed a double figure assist count from Silva come the end of the season and he already has picked up four.
After a fantastic start to the season, Manchester City are now the bookies favourites to win the title and David Silva Is the favourite to win the PFA player of the year award. Manchester City’s next three home games are – West Ham, Newcastle and Bournemouth and with Silva currently costing you a fair price of 10.2m, I guarantee his price will continue to rise throughout the next few weeks. This one is a no-brainer and although 10.2m is a big fantasy football price, I see it as a bargain.
OUT
Wayne Rooney (Man Utd, Forward, 10.4m)
Yes, I know he scored a hat-trick away at Club Brugge but I am still sticking with this one. Rooney needs to come out of your teams as soon as possible. Although he will eventually find the net in the league and set up a good amount of goals, Man United haven’t looked THAT dangerous at all in the league in a fairly nice start for them, they’ve created chances but what team doesn’t? 2 goals in their first 3 games in the league for the Red Devils, with one being an own goal and the other a deflection, isn’t a good sign and although it can only get better for them, us fantasy football managers need to be scoring points with as little risk involved as possible! I could also mention the defeat to Swansea and how Rooney was awful (again), but I didn’t want to rub salt in the wounds of the Man United fans reading this!
Rooney will cost you 10.4m which makes him the fourth most expensive striker. That price is a rip-off and when you can buy cheaper strikers such as; Gomis (7.4m) and Benteke (8.5m) who have both looked much more dangerous than Rooney, the decision to bring him out is made much easier. To make the decision even easier, unless you’re buying Aguero, Costa or Sturridge, you will be left with a good chunk of spare cash to spend elsewhere and strengthen your team. Rooney will find the net eventually as I’ve said, he has to! But the risk is too much for that price and taking him out now is the sensible decision.
Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea, Defender, 6.8m)
18.8% of fantasy football managers have Ivanovic in their team and he has been AWFUL this season so far. Ivanovic is the joint-second most expensive defender at 6.8m, which I can understand as last season he scored 4, assisted 6 and kept 17 clean sheets which is incredible for a defender. But we have to keep up with the times and keeping him is the wrong move. Chelsea have yet to keep a clean sheet and to say Ivanovic’s individual performances have been fragile is an understatement.
Everton (A), Arsenal (H) and Newcastle (A) awaits Chelsea for their next three games and if you haven’t already taken Ivanovic out of your team, now is the time! Those three fixtures are risky to say the least when banking on keeping a clean sheet and the money left over from the Ivanovic transfer can be used for further up the field, where the real points are scored! Take him out or lose out!
That is it! The first edition of 2 In 2 Out is done, complete, finito! Let’s hope these predictions can help you bring the green arrows we love to see! If the predictions do good (which they will), feel free to tweet me telling me how great they were! If the predictions were awful (never), then just blame yourself, you clicked the “make transfers” button, not me! GOOD LUCK!
By Tom Mellor.
