Picks of the Week

DISCLAIMER: I always refuse to identify myself as any sort of FPL 'guru' or 'mentor' or 'expert'. And I have previously on this blog expressed my reluctance to share many details of my own selections, or to make very specific player recommendations.

However, in addition to occasionally critiquing common 'sheep picks' of the moment (not all necessarily outright bad, but ridiculously over-popular selections), I thought I would start occasionally trying to highlight one or two players who seem not yet to be very widely owned but are starting to look very tempting prospects.

I will generally try to come up with at least 2 options per week - so that it doesn't look like I'm making a sole recommendation. And these suggestions are intended to be simply 'worth thinking about', not at all 'must-haves'   (And some weeks, I'll have nothing.....)

So, first off, in Gameweek 12, I give you Anthony Gordon. After a bit of an up-and-down start to the season - which has seen his price crash from 7.5 million to 7.2 million (that makes him a tempting bargain in itself!) - he's really begun to look back at his best in the last two games against Arsenal and Forest, and in the recent games for England. And Newcastle overall are on a strongly upward trend too, with the new-look defence finally starting to click, Isak looking fit and sharp up front once more after his injury issues (and Callum Wilson just about ready again, just in time to provide occasional back-up during the busy holiday schedule).  And apart from Liverpool at the start of December (who they at least face at St. James's), Newcastle really have a very nice run of fixtures now, all the way through into February.

Joao Pedro looked absolutely sensational on his return from injury for the last 25 minutes against City. And after another two weeks to work on his fitness over the international break, he should now be ready to play a full 90 minutes. His ability to play a variety of different roles should mean that he is more rotation-proof than almost any of Brighton's other attacking players. And if he's back on penalty duty, he could be a significant points provider over the coming weeks. And even if he's not, I'd fancy him to displace Welbeck as the primary goal-provider (not necessarily to take his place in the team, just to start nabbing more of the goals), particularly as the veteran centre-forward must be in danger of getting a bit weary or stale after such an uncommonly long scoring streak (and, for him, an uncommonly long streak of staying injury-free), and will surely get some rest rotation over the Christmas fixture logjam. Brighton have a few more challenging fixtures in January and early February, but their run through to the end of the year is looking very sweet - and that makes many of their players suddenly much more attractive FPL assets, but most especially, I think, Joao Pedro.

How did they do?

Well, a bit of a mixed bag for my first venture into the 'Recommendations' business! Joao Pedro, although subbed off for a rest alarmingly soon after the hour mark, did indeed have another superb game, notching a goal, an assist, and maximum bonus points for a 12-point haul. Gordon, on the other hand, had an oddly subdued game, managing only one attempt on goal (well blocked by Fabianksi) and getting pulled with 25 minutes still to play - for a scant 2 points. I have faith that he will soon do better; evening games often throw teams out of their stride - Newcastle are usually much better than this.

I will try to remember to check in on these guys here again from time to time over the next couple of months.

Alas, as Brighton's form mysteriously crumbled in December, Joao Pedro had a frustrating time of it: still looking pretty good in patches, but the rest of the team weren't playing well enough to create many good opportunities for him. In the next 5 games from GW13 onwards, he managed only a solitary assist and a disappointing total of just 13 points.

Gordon has looked a more solid acquisition. Though he hasn't quite caught fire yet, as we know he sometimes can, he got either a goal or an assist in 5 of the 6 games up until the end of the year (being rested in GW15 against Brentford and only getting half an hour off the bench).