Last updated on February 25th, 2022
- I played around with multiple Free-hit drafts where the teams to focus on were Man City, Spurs, Southampton & of course Burnley for their 2nd DGW in a row
- I personally won’t be playing the FH in 27 as I used my WC in 25 and BB in 26. So the team is set up with 9/10 players already for tomorrow
Let’s take a look at the fixtures at hand first.
TEAMS TO TARGET:
- LEEDS (playing away)
- NORWICH (playing away)
- WATFORD (playing away)
- EVERTON (playing at home)
- NEWCASTLE (playing away)
- BURNLEY (double game week)
Leeds United v Tottenham
Leeds have now conceded 56 goals from 25 games – that amounts to 2.24 goals conceded per game. Their home record is a tad better (1.75 goals conceded per game) but still far from being mediocre.
Spurs are coming off a mixed double game week where on the one hand they toppled the champions with an emphatic display of counter-attacking football and on the other hand were so toothless and out of character in their loss to Burnley.
Kane & Son are the go-to targets from Spurs. I would stay from Spurs’ defense as Leeds has been more enterprising at home in front of the goal and has only blanked thrice this season.
Southampton v Norwich
Norwich trail Leeds by 3 goals and are currently 2nd from the bottom for goals conceded. This is a critical game for them as teams around them in the relegation battle have now been picking points. Norwich will have to come out and win games by scoring goals.
Southampton has played some great football in the 2nd half of the season. 1 loss in the last 10 games with 18 goals and taking points off the Top 3 – it has been some run for them. Ralph would look to consolidate on that by playing the same attacking football.
Broja, James Ward-Prowse, and Livramento/Kyle Walker-Peters are good options to look at. Southampton’s odds to keep a clean sheet are at 39% so it wouldn’t be strange to go for Kyle Walker-Peters over Livramento (KWP seems to be more nailed). JWP would be a great differential as he has returned 8x in the last 9. Norwich has been weak in defending set-pieces and JWP will be at the heart of it.
Everton v Manchester City
There is no hiding it – Everton is now in a relegation battle something which their new manager has never experienced as a player or as a manager. It’s going to be a litmus test for him personally.
Manchester City is coming off a home loss against Spurs which has put the title race very much back on track with them still ahead by 3 points. I certainly expect City to come to all guns blazing for this game to put pressure right back on Liverpool.
A clean sheet has a 45% of probability. In my eyes, it’s way higher. Diaz had an average game vs Spurs. Wouldn’t come as a surprise if he is dropped. I would go for a double City defense in Cancelo & Laporte. Out of the attackers, I would go with the man in form and man on penalties – Riyad Mahrez. He played 22 mins vs Spurs and full 90 mins in the Champions League game. He scored in both games.
I don’t fancy any Everton asset for this week.
Manchester United v Watford
This is a bit tricky. I feel this won’t be a straightforward game for the home team. They had a very physical game against Leeds and then a draining away game against Atletico Madrid. Having said that, positive results do tend to reduce a bit of that fatigue.
Roy Hodgson has evidently fortified Watford’s defense by a considerable margin, especially against teams in the Top 6. Watford is on the wrong end of the relegation battle currently and Roy would be aware of the importance of at least getting a point from here.
Watford has the 5th best-expected Goal Conceded numbers in all the away games this season!
Bruno Fernandes and a Man United defender are the most I would look at from this game.
Brentford v Newcastle
It’s a huge game for both sides.
Brentford is in the middle of a terrible run with 6 losses in the last 7 and last tasted victory on January 2nd, 2021. Newcastle on the other hand has earned 12 crucial points in the last 6 games without facing a defeat.
Having said that, their away form is one of the worst this season. Hence, not worth picking an asset from either team.
BURNLEY DOUBLE GAME WEEK
Managers were reluctant to look at Burnley assets before their heroics in Double game week in 26. With another double in 27, it’s a necessity to own Burnley assets as they are a team with confidence and looking to get out of the relegation zone.
Pope has got to be the Goalkeeper in GW 27. Teams that they play (Palace v Leicester) against aren’t really in the best of form themselves. I see the old Burnley back, especially at the back. I would urge for a double defense with Mee accompanying Pope. The only other option left is their newly signed striker from Wolfsburg – Weghorst. He might get the armband from most of the managers in the community.
Keep your 1st sub from Brighton as they might keep a clean sheet considering they had an unusual loss to Burnley in front of their home fans.
