With the internationals almost out of the way it's time to get back on the FPL-wagon and look ahead to the next set of fixtures for your fantasy team. With the help of our Fixture Analyser we'll have a look at some of the best defensive prospects over the next 6 weeks for your fantasy line-up.
WEST BROM
We bigged West Brom up a couple of weeks ago for some defensive returns and in particular as an alternative to Southampton players and they've not disappointed. Our two tipped defenders Liam Ridgewell and Gareth McAuley have both picked up a clean sheet as well as an assist for Ridgewell and a goal plus assist for McAuley. Good going.
The Baggies fixtures remain sound defensively, ranked 6th in our Fixture Analyser, and McAuley's attacking threat in particular has been very positive (see Player Ratings).
LIVERPOOL
Rodger's has reverted to a 4 man defence with the return of Coutinho with Agger and Skrtel are back in the heart of things leaving Toure and Sakho out in the cold. Toure didn't even make the bench in the last game. Liverpool's next six fixtures are placed 1st in our rankings despite an away tie at Goodison, games against Hul(A), Nor(H), WHm(H) and Car(H) looking tasty.
We would imagine plenty more tinkering the defensive formation by Rodgers so it's hard to call who to select from centre-back, or indeed at left-back with Enrique's niggling knee injury, leaving Glen Johnson or Mignolet, both £5.7m, as the best options.
CHELSEA
Faith in Mourihno's back-line for your fantasy team has to have started wavering but statistically they still rank as the very best option for clean sheets over the next five games taking their performances and fixtures into account. On top of this Terry and Ivanovic remain amongst the defenders with highest attacking threat in the league. Surely some big points are due?
PROMOTED FROM THE BENCH
Taking a step back from individual team's prospects and looking at the popular defenders in fantasy teams there's a bit of a mixed bag. Spurs, Saints and Everton have worse fixtures than they've faced for a while (particular Saints and Everton) but they are strong teams defensively so we wouldn't recommend fire sales of any of these players; you'll likely want them back in your team in a few weeks time.
Instead allowing your normal defences a rest of duty and allowing the cheaper defenders a chance to step up off the bench defenders may prove the wiser move. If you can stomach it decent options exist at Villa in Ron Vlaar (£4.5) and Sunderland in Phil Bardsley (£4.4).
