Who's HOT & Who's NOT? - FPL Gameweek 11
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FFPundits
5:45pm Nov 1 2017
Is Tottenham’s Harry Kane too HOT to handle for their Gameweek 11 clash with Crystal Palace? Welcome to HOT or NOT.
Hello and welcome to my Gameweek 11 edition of ‘Who’s Hot and Who’s Not’, offering you weekly support and advice on how to stay ahead of the game in the world of FPL.
Gameweek 11 sees four of the current top five face each other – so will we see fireworks? Or will our faith in the big-hitters come back to haunt us?
This week’s article features players involved in those clashes, as well as one or two others who are quietly going about their business, and proving to be worthy of a place in your FPL squad.
So, without further ado, here are my thoughts ahead of yet another mouth-watering Gameweek in prospect. As always, I wish all FPL players the very best of luck.
Be sure to check out Dale’s Midfield Tips video above before you go.
Who’s HOT?
Jamaal Lascelles vs. Bournemouth (h)
Newcastle have conceded just twice at home since Gameweek 1, and face a Bournemouth side in Gameweek 11 who have found goals on the road hard to come by, managing just three thus far.
Rafa Benitez’s side are a well organised if unspectacular outfit, and were unlucky not to hold out for a point in their Gameweek 10 fixture at high-flying Burnley.
Their impressive defensive record has made Lascelles a very useful selection, especially when you consider his modest cost of just £4.7m.
The former Nottingham Forest defender has also shown himself to be pretty adept in the opposition box, with a couple of goals to his name already this season.
Harry Kane vs. Crystal Palace (h)
Harry Kane’s absence in Gameweek 10 caused quite a stir in the world of FPL, however, the game’s highest-scoring forward is now back in training and looks set to return to Premier League action against bottom side Crystal Palace in Gameweek 11.
Spurs are now showing signs that they can be just as free-scoring at Wembley as they have been on the road this season, and now have the perfect chance to register another big victory in their temporary home against the Premier League’s leakiest defence.
With the rest of the top five facing each other in Gameweek 11, Kane has by far the easiest fixture of the premium priced forwards, so if you took the plunge and transferred him out in Gameweek 10, now’s the time to reverse that move.
NOTE: We have written and released this article prior to Tottenham’s Champions League tie with Real Madrid on Wednesday evening, so will revisit and update this section later tonight if required.
Mohamed Salah vs. West Ham (a)
Liverpool’s Egyptian winger was in the thick of it again in Gameweek 10, providing an assist in his side’s 3-0 victory over Huddersfield, but missing a penalty.
The summer recruit from Roma continues to be a consistent provider of goals and assists in an otherwise stuttering Liverpool team.
Gameweek 11 sees Salah and co. travel to the London Stadium to face a West Ham side who have conceded five in the last two Gameweeks.
The Hammers defence failed to deal with the pace and trickery of Wilfried Zaha in Gameweek 10, and Salah is a similarly tricky customer.
With four of the current top five facing each other in Gameweek 11, Salah has a more appealing fixture than many of the other FPL big-hitters, so now’s the perfect time to transfer him in if you don’t already own him.
Who’s NOT? (hot)
Nacho Monreal vs. Man City (a)
Monreal has been an excellent option for FPL bosses so far this season. The Spaniard has been an ever-present in a sturdier looking Arsenal defence and an unlikely goalscorer on two occasions, making him one of only eight defenders to have reached the 50 point mark.
However, the Etihad has become a place where good defensive records go to die, and that is exactly where Monreal and his Arsenal teammates find themselves in Gameweek 11.
Pep Guardiola’s side have found the net in each of their last 15 Premier League games – a run which stretches back to April.
With that in mind, the safe option for Gameweek 11 is to avoid Monreal – or any other Arsenal defenders you may have, for that matter.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan vs. Chelsea (a)
Mkhitaryan remains a relatively popular selection among FPL bosses. However, the Armenian midfielder has now gone five Gameweeks without a goal or an assist, and is simply not worth £8.2m of anyone’s budget on current form.
Gameweek 11 sees Manchester United travel to Chelsea. Jose Mourinho’s side have had a tendency to adopt a cautious approach in recent away fixtures against fellow top-six clubs – should that trend continue, another disappointing Gameweek could be in the offing for Mkhitaryan owners.
If you can spare the extra £0.2m, Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez looks an interesting option. The Algerian winger has been directly involved in four of Leicester’s last five goals, and is somewhat of a differential, currently featuring in just 4.4% of FPL squads.
Alvaro Morata vs. Man United
Since scoring a hat-trick back in Gameweek 6, Morata’s form in front of goal has curtailed – and he faces the Premier League’s meanest defence in Gameweek 11 as Manchester United travel to Stamford Bridge.
United’s ultra-conservative style against top-six opponents away from home does little to convince me that Morata will produce a fruitful Gameweek 11 for the 20.6% of FPL bosses who still own him.
As I have mentioned in previous weeks, there is generally better value to be had in midfield than there is in the striking department, so if Morata is the best you can afford, it may be worth looking at a cheaper option (Tammy Abraham, perhaps?) and using that extra cash to take full advantage of the array of excellent midfield options in the £8-10m bracket.
BEFORE YOU DISAPPEAR: If you follow us on Twitter, you’ll have noticed we’ve been playing a new fantasy football game called Starting 11. It’s a free to play, daily fantasy premier league game which allows us to pick a new team, every match-day.
Join the FFPundits staff in Gameweek 11 over at Starting 11 this Saturday and keep your eyes peeled for some cool prizes – follow the download links below for iOS and Android to get involved.
