After a colourful start to the season for Newcastle United, it’s now starting to look a little more black and white for Alan Pardew’s side.
Gameweek 11 review
It was as if the Dream Team used a random player generator to select the highest-scoring XI this week such is the diverse collection of names making up the team.
from the entire XI, only Sergio Aguero and Leighton Baines are used to featuring in the Dream Team on a regular basis and this week, they can be seen alongside names like Trippier, Can and McNair in a team that you’re not likely to see together again in a hurry.
Newcastle defensive duo Daryl Janmaat and Fabricio Coloccini finished ahead of the pile with 15 and 14 points respectively thanks to their contributions at the attacking end in the Magpies’ victory over West Brom, while Aguero (13), Kieran Trippier (12) and our own Shane Long (12) weren’t too far behind.
Leighton Baines (11), Emre Can (10) and Nacer Chadli also finished with double figures, with Sebastian Larsson (9), Paddy McNair (9) and Burnley ‘keeper Tom Heaton (7) also making the cut.
J-League
With the top three all finishing with nearly identical points tallies this week, there was no change at the top of the table, with Stephen Mullet’s Wecouldwinitsixtimes still leading the way ahead of Terry O’Rourke’s Sporting Kilbeggan in second and James Wong’s The Return in third.
The only change in the top five, in fact, sees Barry O’Connell’s Lesprit de lescalier move up to fourth after posting 80 points, which sees him go level with Diarmuid McCarthy’s ABCDE F.C. in fifth place.
J-League Top 5:
- Wecouldwinitsixtimes – Stephen Mullett: 720 points
- Sporting Kilbeggan – Terry O’Rourke: 710 points
- The Return – James Wong: 709 points
- Lesprit de lescalier – Barry O’Connell: 696 points
- ABCDE F.C. – Diarmuid McCarthy: 696 points
Magpies having all the luck
It’s amazing how quickly things can change in football.
Wind the clock back six weeks or so and Alan Pardew was a dead man walking.
Not particularly popular amongst Newcastle fans or football fans in general, Pardew was under severe pressure, his team were playing terribly and picking up no points and even Newcastle owner Mike Ashley was joking that he’d get the sack.
Now, after four wins on the trot, the Magpies are level on points with Manchester United, two points off the top four and playing with a confidence that was nowhere to be seen in the first few weeks of the season.
Pardew might not be entirely responsible for the change in fortune (he’ll probably claim that he is) but his side are playing with a lot of verve and picking up a fair amount of Fantasy Football points along the way.
The most attractive thing about picking Newcastle players is that they’re all cheap; at £7.2 million Remy Cabella is the most expensive and only two more players – Yoan Gouffran and the injured Siem de Jong – cost upwards of £6million, so there’s plenty of value to be had.
In goals, Tim Krul has kept three clean sheets in his last four games and is very affordable at £4.5 million. At the back, we’re very much liking the look of Daryl Janmaat (£5.1 million), who has a goal and two assists already and looks very comfortable in the attacking third of the pitch.
Possibly the biggest bargain to be had from the Newcastle squad, however, is Ayoze Perez, who has three goals and 23 points in his last three games and can be snapped up for under five million quid.
The Magpies’ luck could change though just as quickly as it did six weeks or so ago and they could potentially be back battling relegation again before too long, but with no real risk in terms of the money you’ll be spending, it’s probably worth taking on a punt on Pardew’s boys while they’re still flying high.
JOE’s Fantasy Football Picks:
Top Dollar: Diego Costa (£11.0 million): Jose Mourinho claims he’s fit and if he is, there’s every chance he’ll bring the pain against West Brom at Stamford Bridge.
Mid-Range: Leighton Baines (£7.3 million): We don’t know if we’ve recommended the selection of Baines so far this season and if we haven’t, we apologise.
The Everton man delivers the goods season after season and with two goals and six assists in this campaign, he’s the top scoring defender in the league at the moment.
Bargain Basement: Ayoze Perez (£4.9 million). Perez has three goals in the last three games and with QPR to come at home, there’s no reason why the good run should stop this weekend.
Irish Pick: Shane Long (£5.5 million). Two goals off the bench against Leicester could lead to a starting spot for Long against Aston Villa on Monday and if it does, fingers crossed goals will follow.
Captain’s Pick: Sergio Aguero (£12.7 million): Given the form this guy’s in, he has to be first choice for the captain’s armband as City play host to Swansea at the Etihad.
