Welcome to AM’s Perfect XI - Week 17 player picks. This column focuses on Togga’s Perfect XI game which you can play via their IOS and Android app. Download the apps via the link below and make sure you update regularly to take advantage of the constant enhancements:
Once downloaded, open the app and register an account. Once registered, click the Fantasy tab at the bottom of the app screen. Then from the Fantasy screen, click the arrow at the top of the app screen to select Perfect XI.
We’ve set up a Rotoworld PL Private League where you can challenge myself and the rest of the RW PL team over the course of the season. To join it download the app and then click the below link from your device, or find us from the Featured Leagues tab:
Each week I provide a Perfect XI of my own for the upcoming gameweek of Premier League fixtures, recommending 11 players to consider along with some honourable mentions for each position. The main 11 players listed won’t necessarily be the exact players selected for my own Perfect XI fantasy side. The point of this column isn’t to tell you exactly who to pick; it’s to present some ideas to get you thinking. Hopefully you’ll find the advice useful, whether you’re playing Togga’s game or looking at potential transfers for your official Fantasy Premier League team.
Follow the Rotoworld.com PL team on Twitter: Neal | Steve | Andrew | Sean | Stag | Ben | Galin | Nik |
Week 16 was ok - I ended up with 134 points and up to 160th overall but it would’ve been so much better had I not dropped Son (recommended in my column) for Ozil based on misinformation over starting line-ups.
Week 17 swings round right away with a midweek round of fixtures starting TONIGHT (Tuesday evening) at 7:45pm GMT here in the UK and continuing through Wednesday evening. It’s important to have your fantasy team locked in ready for the Tuesday kick-offs but remember in Perfect XI you can swap out a player from your squad right up to one minute before their match kicks off and bring in an alternative player whose match is also yet to kick off. This wonderful flexibility allows you to avoid the pain of a surprise benching or unreported last minute injury and a big fat ZERO. Just make sure you keep an eye on the starting line-ups as kick off approaches each week by following the Rotoworld PL Twitter account.
Here are your Week 17 fixtures:
Tuesday 12 December
Burnley v Stoke
Crystal Palace v Watford
Huddersfield v Chelsea
Wednesday 13 December
Newcastle v Everton
Southampton v Leicester
Swansea v Man City
Liverpool v West Brom
Man Utd v Bournemouth
Spurs v Brighton
West Ham v Arsenal
Our clear focus for midweek should be on Manchester City away at Swansea, Spurs at home to Brighton, Liverpool at home to West Brom, Manchester United at home to Bournemouth and Chelsea away at Huddersfield. Arsenal at West Ham would be tempting but I’m wary after the vastly improved display by the Hammers in Week 16. The remaining games looks too close to call and so you should concentrate on the five teams listed in the opening sentence of this paragraph.
Here’s a very quick run through of my selections. No analysis due to the quick turnaround, family commitments and the fact the picks are fairly self-explanatory...
KEEPERS
Nick Pope - at home to Stoke. Another clean sheet beckons for the Clarets’ keeper.
Honourable Mentions: Hugo Lloris at home to Brighton, Ederson away at Swansea, David De Gea at home to Bournemouth
DEFENDERS
Antonio Valencia - at home to Bournemouth. The veteran is enjoying his best season for United and should score well once again.
Danny Rose - at home to Brighton. Pochettino has been rotating his full backs so Rose should start and will feel he has a point to prove.
Cesar Azpilicueta - away at Huddersfield. Chelsea’s captain has provided fantasy points at both ends of the pitch this campaign.
Nicolás Otamendi - away at Swansea. A clean sheet opportunity and City’s new-found set piece goal threat.
Honourable Mentions: Stephen Ward at home to Stoke, Sead Kolasinac away at West Ham, Joe Gomez or Trent Alexander-Arnold at home to West Brom, Kyle Walker away at Swansea, Jonjoe Kenny away at Newcastle
MIDFIELDERS
Eden Hazard - away at Huddersfield. On penalty duty and likely to be played as a striker due to Álvaro Morata’s absence.
Philippe Coutinho - at home to West Brom. Great fixture, in form and well rested after his surprise benching for the Merseyside derby.
Kevin De Bruyne - away at Swansea. Man City’s most important player should control the game.
Son Heung-min - at home to Brighton. Certain to start after a thrilling display in Week 16 and should trouble Brighton with his pace.
Honourable Mentions: Mesut Ozil away at West Ham, Riyad Mahrez away at Southampton, Wilfried Zaha at home to Watford, Leroy Sane away at Swansea, Gylfi Sigurdsson away at Everton
STRIKERS
Harry Kane - at home to Brighton. Spurs’ talisman is looking sharp again after a much-needed Champions League rest.
Mohamed Salah - at home to West Brom. 18 goals in 22 games in all competitions for Liverpool including eight in his last six Premier League appearances.
Honourable Mentions: Sergio Agüero away at Swansea, Roberto Firmino at home to West Brom, Charlie Austin at home to Leicester, Alexis Sanchez away at West Ham, Wayne Rooney away at Newcastle
That’s it for Week 17. Check out our Rotoworld Features page to access a host of fantastic content to get you ready for the weekend ahead. If you have any questions about the Perfect XI game or general questions about a player or your own team then feel free to post them below or ping me on Twitter (@nikarg) and I promise to get back to you.
Thanks for reading - good luck to all managers this midweek
