FPL Spotlight: Gameweek 24

This is a series tackling the most hyped FPL assets at the moment. We’re here to help you judge whether they are worthy of their price tag and the hype.

FPL Spotlight: Gameweek 24

Make sure you check out the FPL Player Rankings series to keep up to date with the best FPL assets.

 

The FPL Spotlight shines brightly on different players at different times throughout the season. This is a series tackling the most hyped FPL assets at the moment. We’re here to help you judge whether they are worthy of their price tag and the hype.

Green Light = Player I strongly recommend owning

Amber Light = Solid option with potential downsides

Red Light = Not a player I would recommend owning

Dango Ouattara (MID):

Price: £5.0m

Ownership: 1.1%

Bournemouth have not skipped a beat since Outtara has been forced into the starting striker role due to Evanilson and Unal’s injuries. He is in blistering form, scoring a hattrick in a 5-0 thrashing of Forest in Gameweek 23 and he registered an assist in a 4-1 win against Newcastle in Gameweek 22.

Ouattara, despite only starting 11 games staggeringly is 27th in the Premier League in xG with 5.7xG. That ranks higher than key FPL assets who have played far more minutes than he has such as Gakpo, Son, Cunha and Eze. His xG per 90 is 92nd percentile for Premier League wingers and attacking midfielders this season. He has also produced 4 assists from 2.2xA and ranks 24th in the league with 8 Big Chances Created which does display his level of composure and quality decision making in the final third. I could make the case Outtara is the best differential option of this season at £5.0m and 1.1% ownership, given those incredible underlying numbers and the output.

Bournemouth are one of the elite attacking teams in the league and a team whose attacking assets FPL managers will want to own. They are 3rd in xG, 3rd in shots per game and 6th in big chances created. They have just scored 9 goals in 2 games against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, who are 2 of the 5 best defensive teams in the league, rankings 3rd and 5th in xG conceded respectively. Again, getting to buy into that elite of an attacking team for £5.0m, at 1.1% ownership is a no-brainer.

Yes, Bournemouth face Liverpool in Gameweek 24, but after that they have an incredibly favourable run of fixtures for attacking players. From Gameweek 25-31, they play teams in the bottom 11 in xG conceded for 7 consecutive Gameweeks. There could be some major hauls for Ouattara in games against Southampton (A), Wolves (H), Brighton (A), Spurs (A), Brentford (H), Ipswich (H) and West Ham (A). If it wasn’t already clear, Ouattara gets the greenest of lights from myself.

Judgement: Green Light

Green circle Vector Images | Depositphotos

 

Dominik Szoboszlai (MID):

 

Price: £6.3m

Ownership: 2.5%

Szobszlai has turned around his season after a somewhat disappointing start. He has been in great form and a pivotal player for Liverpool and Slot since he scored his first goal of the season in Gameweek 12 against Southampton. He is the leader of Liverpool’s press, and when he is not in the team, their press is less effective. His work-rate and running power makes him invaluable. But where he has shown growth is with his on-ball play, his decision making in the final third and now we are beginning to see the incredible ball-striking he has previously shown with RB Leipzig and Hungary. He is one of the first names on the team-sheet when fit.

In only 15 starts, and despite not playing as your stereotypical number 10 role with little defensive responsibility, Szoboszlai still ranks 29th in the league in xG, tied with teammate Cody Gakpo with 5.4xG. Now that he is in better form and certainly better form when it comes to his finishing and long range shooting, there is room for greater output there and more consistent FPL returns. He also has 2 assists from 2.8xA, and given the team he plays in and the high volume of chances Liverpool create, there is also room for greater output in the assist department.

If you somehow weren’t aware of the obvious, Liverpool are the best attacking team in the league. They rank top in all of the major important attacking metrics – 1st in xG, 1st in Big Chances Created, 1st in shots per game and 1st in shots on target per game. Owning their starting number 10, who is in fine form and pivotal to their tactical set up, with potentially back-to-back Double Gameweeks, is very appealing. At only 2.5% ownership, he is great differential option.

Liverpool, if we assume they beat Spurs in the EFL Cup Semi-Final, will, as I mentioned, have consecutive Double Gameweeks in Gameweeks 24 and 25. Those will feature matchups with Bournemouth (A), Everton (A), Wolves (H) and Aston Villa (A). They then face 2 teams in the bottom 8 for xG conceded in Gameweek 26 and 28 – Man City (A) and Southampton (H). Owning 3 Liverpool players over this next stretch of games is a must, unless you have of course decided to own Arne Slot as your Assistant Manager. Szobszlai absolutely could prove to be one of the best three options over the coming weeks.

Judgement: Green Light

Green circle Vector Images | Depositphotos

 

Luis Dias (MID):

 

Price: £7.5m

Ownership: 18.1%

Diaz, while still performing quite well and being a key member of the forward line has had his output slow down significantly compared to the early weeks of the season. He has only recorded 1 goal in his last 5 starts, and that is despite playing as the nominal striker for the majority of these games as Gakpo has become Slot’s preferred option at left-wing and Jota was injured. With Jota set to possibly return for Bournemouth, but certainly for Everton, and Nunez’s heroic brace against Brentford, Diaz’s minutes are far less secure than they have been. Again, no one is suggesting he is not going to be a key member of this Liverpool attack in the second half of the season, but I do find it hard to justify owning Diaz at his price-tag and given some of the minutes and output concerns.

Diaz does rank 24th in xG despite only starting 16 games, and has outdone his xG with his post shot xG of 6.6, so there are no major concerns with his finishing and there will be some good goal-keeping involved in his goal-scoring rate slowing down. One flaw in Diaz’s game has been as a creative player for others, and his 2.1xA display that.

Gakpo has had the superior overall season and has become so key to Slot’s set up and some of the new ways Liverpool are breaking down low blocks with his crossing and his aerial threat at the back post from Salah and Trent crosses. It is hard to see Diaz taking back the starting left-wing spot. When it comes to Liverpool’s starting striker, I do believe those minutes will be split between Diaz and Jota for the main part, but I think a healthy Jota would be the preferred option there. It is just difficult to argue for owning Diaz over Gakpo, Trent, Van Dijk or Szoboszlai.

Judgement: Red Light

Red circle icon - Free red shape icons

 

Iliman Ndiaye (FWD):

Price: £5.5m

Ownership: 4.8%

Under new Everton Manager David Moyes, Ndiaye has look like a player freed from the constraints of a Sean Dyche team. He has scored in consecutive games and has registered 1.3xG across those 2 games – elite numbers. Ndiaye is a talented player who has shown high level finishing ability at times this season, scoring 5 goals from 3.1xG. He has a post-shot xG of 4.55 which shows it is truly him and his finishing ability that is the reason he has outperformed his xG.

While Beto will likely start in the lone striker spot due to Calvert-Lewin’s injury, Ndiaye will be Everton’s focal point in attack and the player Moyes will look to get into space and on the ball as much as he can. The issue lies with the fact that Everton do severely lack attacking and creative talent outside of Ndiaye. From Gameweek 24-26, which includes Everton’s Double Gameweek, they face the best defensive team in the league in Liverpool, Crystal Palace who are top 8 in xG conceded and an improved United defence under Amorim (low bar I know).

While Ndiaye’s 2 games under Moyes certainly do indicate his output is going to increase under new management, the real question is do FPL managers really want to own an Everton Forward over players like Isak, Wood, Gakpo, Wissa or Watkins? I would lean no, but the Senegalese forwards underlying numbers under Moyes have been impressive and he could be in the midst of a purple patch.

Judgement: Amber Light

File:Eo circle amber blank.svg - Wikimedia Commons

 

Omar Marmoush (FWD):

Price: £7.0m

Ownership: 2.7%

Marmoush has been one of the most exciting, consistent and productive wingers in Europe this season. He scored 15 goals from only 8.87xG and produced 9 assists from 4.14 xA for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season. Just utterly ridiculous production and overproduction of what was created for him. His elite, direct dribbling, deadly finishing and playmaking for others in the final third is exactly why Pep Guardiola made him a priority target and City paid the £80 million fee they did.

He immediately he showed his is going to make a big impact on this team, arguably being City’s best player in a big win over top 4 rivals Chelsea in Gameweek 23. He was such a threat, showed little fear of taking on Premier League defenders and was constantly making smart and dangerous runs that his City teammates will need to begin finding more often than they did.

However, he is fresh to the league and is playing under a new coach, with new teammates, in a new system, he is likely to go through some level of adjustment period. He is also likely to be rotated a fair amount with Savinho and Foden playing well, as well as Doku soon returning from injury. Lastly, City are about to go through a stretch of very difficult fixtures for attacking players, facing 4 of the top 5 in xG conceded this season in Arsenal (A), Newcastle (H), Liverpool (H) and Nottingham Forest (A) over the next 5 Gameweeks. Marmoush is also not a cheap option where you would not need to start him every week, and therefore, owning him over the other top Forward options will lead to more pain than joy.

Judgement: Red Light

Red circle icon - Free red shape icons

 

 

For more Game Week 24 articles, click here!

Check out our new predicted lineups article every week. Click here to read Gameweek 24’s predicted lineups article

Click here to check out our Assistant Manager Price reveal guide – with tips on the best Assistant Manager’s to target and when.

By Ahsan Ejaz

Last updated: 31/01