13 Dec, 2024

Game Week 16: FPL Spotlight

The FPL Spotlight shines brightly on different players at different times throughout the season. We are tackling the most hyped FPL assets right now and helping you decide whether they are worthy of the hype or not.

Green Light = Player I strongly recommend owning.

Amber Light = Solid option with potential downsides.

Red Light = Not a player I would recommend owning.

Enzo Fernandez (MID):

Price: £5.0m

Ownership: 6.3%

Enzo has moved into the FPL Spotlight due to a change in role and the attacking returns he has produced since. He has 3 goals and 3 assists in his last 5 starts. This is all due to a shift in Maresca’s tactical set-up. He began to start Caicedo at right-back and inverting him into midfield in possession, allowing Enzo far more freedom in the final third where he can score and create. This approach might persist even with Gusto at right-back, as Fernandez has shone, and Chelsea’s form has improved along with it.

There is some downplaying of Enzo’s ability to maintain his goal-scoring form, having scored 3 goals from 1.14xG in this stretch. This is understandable, but with teams often doubling up on Palmer, while also deploying resources to stop the likes of Jackson, Neto, Sancho and Madueke, Enzo is often finding himself arriving into the box with a lot of space. This is precisely how he scored his goals against Spurs and Villa.

Enzo has also amassed 2.4xA on the season, which ranks 23^rd in the Premier League and puts him ahead of players such as Mitoma, Rogers and Semenyo this season. This kind of creative output combined with the ability to score goals makes Enzo an elite enabler at £5.0m. (An enabler is a player who is outproducing their cheap price tag and will enable managers to own more expensive premium assets like Salah, Haaland, Palmer, Saka etc.)

Chelsea’s upcoming fixture list looks so appealing with games against Brentford, Everton, Ipswich and Palace in their next 5 Gameweeks. This, along with Chelsea being 1^st in xG and 2^nd for big chances created, indicates that Enzo providing great value as an enabler at £5.0m is sustainable, at least through this next stretch of fixtures.

Judgement:

Amad Diallo (MID):

Price: £5.1m

Ownership: 7.2%

Amad is another potentially elite enabler whose new role and form has his name trending in FPL circles. He has an incredible 5 assists in his last 4 starts. United consistently switch the ball across field to Amad driving into space on the right-hand side, after Rashford/Hojlund, Bruno, Garnacho and the left wing back have dragged the opposition left. Amad will also press intensely, win the ball and spearhead attacks, as he demonstrated multiple times against Everton.

Amorim clearly views the youngster as a talent and a reliable option. This was highlighted by his lack of hesitation to sub on Amad at half-time of the only game he has not started under him, against Arsenal, to replace Malacia who was on a yellow and struggling. Amad is a versatile player, and Amorim is also already utilising that. He started in one of the number 10 positions against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday, while he has mostly featured at wing-back in the league.

While Amad’s role and talent is leading to high-level production and consistent FPL returns, United are coming off the back of a favourable run of fixtures and now enter a more difficult period. The Red Devils will face Man City, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Liverpool over the next 5 Gameweeks. Amad is also more expensive than Enzo, has higher ownership, and plays for a team that is inferior to Chelsea as an attacking unit. So while Amad is not a bad option, Enzo is a superior one, and FPL managers should only need one Midfield enabler in their teams.

Judgement:

Jarod Bowen (MID):

Price: £7.4m

Ownership: 6.9%

Bowen has simply put been one of the most consistent attackers in the Premier League over the last 4 seasons. He has produced 22 goal contributions in the league in two of his last three seasons and is on pace for 20 again this season despite playing in a struggling West Ham team.

If you have watched any West Ham this season, Bowen has been the Hammers only redeeming quality. It’s no surprise to see him outperforming his 3.0 xG with 4 goals on the season including a beauty against Wolves to seal the victory and 3 bonus points.

Bowen’s complete attacking profile is a dream in FPL. He is 4^th in the Premier League with 3.8xA and is 15^th in the league with 6 big chances created. The assist production will continue and may even improve as Kudus is now back, and West Ham have scored twice in 3 of their last 4. Combine Bowen’s goal threat, with his elite playmaking ability – you have an asset with a high weekly ceiling and consistent possibility of bonus points as well. With fixtures against Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton over the next 3 Gameweeks, Bowen could deliver significant returns and serve a good differential option given his low ownership.

Judgement:

Alex Iwobi (MID):

Price: £5.7m

Ownership: 4.0%

Iwobi is having the best season of his career and has somewhat settled in as Fulham’s leading man in attack. He is 9^th in xA in the Premier League, ahead of other FPL stars such as Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Cunha and Mitoma. He has created 5 big chances which ranks 23^rd in the league. And the sublime form he’s in is displayed by an almost laughable 5 goals from 1.86xG – his finishing and composure in the key moments has been brilliant.

He provides a goal threat and playmaking value, and his production has remained consistent while Smith-Rowe’s has cratered. Smith-Rowe has a very poor 0.11 xGI over his last four starts, while Iwobi has 1.17 xGI. Iwobi has 2 goals and 2 assists over his last four starts, while Jimenez and Smith-Rowe have a combined 1 goal or assist.

Iwobi also plays nearly 90 minutes every week, whereas Smith-Rowe is often substituted off before 60 minutes. Jimenez is often substituted around the 70-minute mark and given rest more often, likely due to his age, with Muniz able to deputise. Fulham have a great run of fixtures coming up against some poor defences in Chelsea, Ipswich, West Ham and Leicester. Of Fulham’s attacking assets, Iwobi is the one you want to own – the extra £0.2m is worth it.

Judgement:

Joe Gomez (DEF):

Price: £4.9m

Ownership: 1.9%

Gomez has locked down the third-choice centre back role ahead of Quansah, which means he will start every game while Konate is out. There were reliable reports today that Konate is expected to return by the end of December. That puts him in contention to possibly start against Leicester in Gameweek 18, but almost certainly against West Ham in Gameweek 19.

Gomez likely has 3 remaining games where he is going to be in the starting XI – Fulham (H), Spurs (A), and Leicester (H). The case for him is that he is going to likely play 90 minutes, and he plays for the best defensive team in the Premier League and arguably Europe. The Reds have kept the most clean sheets (7) while having conceded the lowest xG, lowest number of shots in the penalty box, and the lowest number of shots on targets in the league. Liverpool have conceded only once in the Champions League having played AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid among others.

There is a more than solid chance that Gomez can give fantasy managers returns in any of his three remaining starts and he would be a great differential at 2% ownership. However, a clean sheet is unlikely against Spurs, and Fulham have the players to punish top defences, case in point against Arsenal last weekend. He is a solid option given his price and team if you have a plan for a transfer in Gameweek 19. However, it might be a better plan to invest in a Defender with more long-term value given Liverpool’s fixtures and Konate’s imminent return.

Judgement:

Written by: Ahsan Ejaz

To compare any of these players with other options, check out our Transfer Wizard here