Best Budget Defenders

[Tye86]

This normally gets a lot of focus pre season but think it might be good to identify them based on what we now know. It may be that a budget defender is needed to enable someone else or perhaps, like me, you're considering spending as little as possible in search of the elusive clean sheet.
Happy for contenders to range from potential point scorers down to just good old 90mins. Sub 5.0m

Starter for 10.

Amat 4.1 - Minutes
Loren 4.9 - Clean sheet potential
Holebas 4.5 - popular choice ATM. OOP?
Smith (Bou) 4.6 - Minutes and the odd clean sheet
Ward 4.5 (Bur) 4.5 - Minutes and the odd clean sheet
Ward 4.9 (Pal) - Minutes.
Evans 4.5 - Minutes. Pulis.
Collins 4.6 - Minutes.
Kone 4.5 - Minutes.

[scarletjim]

Just a quick suggestion - surely remove the £4.9m pair? They are not really 'budget', and if you include them, surely you might as well include all the £5.0m too, which would make quite a list, and is really in mid-price territory.

For me there is no one who stands out as best choice at £4.5m or less, and tbh that actually improves the game - it's boring when there is one cheapie who becomes a no-brainer so that we all have him. I've not WC'd yet, so I still have my starting Evans and Collins. Of the two, I'm more likely to downgrade Collins, and it looks like Amat may be the only viable 'super-budget' defender.

If I can add one potential to your list, McNair (Sun) at £4.4m - just because there was talk recently from Moyes about him really being an attacking midfielder - whether he ends up getting significant game time there remains to be seen, but if so then it might make him a good option.

[blahblah]

I'd forget about CS (as there are so few this season) and go for attacking points - imagine if these defences were representing you in court You'd be going down quicker than.....

Just a quick suggestion - surely remove the £4.9m pair? They are not really 'budget', and if you include them, surely you might as well include all the £5.0m too, which would make quite a list, and is really in mid-price territory.

Yep

If I can add one potential to your list, McNair (Sun) at £4.4m - just because there was talk recently from Moyes about him really being an attacking midfielder - whether he ends up getting significant game time there remains to be seen, but if so then it might make him a good option.

Did anyone watch them yesterday? how high up did he play?

[themookybarkid]

Did anyone watch them yesterday? how high up did he play?

He was the furthest forward of the 3 CMs but still behind the front 3. He didn't really threaten at all though and seemed lost up there before being hooked off.

[OIEIAO]

Holebas 4.5 - popular choice ATM. OOP?

Worth adding "set pieces. But 4 yellow cards"

[scarletjim]

Did anyone watch them yesterday? how high up did he play?

He was the furthest forward of the 3 CMs but still behind the front 3. He didn't really threaten at all though and seemed lost up there before being hooked off.

Having just been looking at his past, he has absolutely no history as a goalscorer before this season, however I note he did score 2 goals a few weeks ago in a League Cup match - did anyone see them? What sort of goals were they? Open play? Attacking set pieces?

[blahblah]

Did anyone watch them yesterday? how high up did he play?

He was the furthest forward of the 3 CMs but still behind the front 3. He didn't really threaten at all though and seemed lost up there before being hooked off.

Having just been looking at his past, he has absolutely no history as a goalscorer before this season, however I note he did score 2 goals a few weeks ago in a League Cup match - did anyone see them? What sort of goals were they? Open play? Attacking set pieces?

It all sprung from that match with various quotes from player and manager about only the press thinking that he is a CB, with Moyes saying he is the next Messi.

Well OK, maybe not the Messi bit

[Weisenwolf]

There are a couple of non-playing £3.9M defenders which may be an option for someone

[yttod1010]

Cameron is playing midfield for Stoke

[Tye86]

As far as I can tell FPL have keenly priced most defenders. Are there any offering real attacking threat?
Other than the aforementioned Holebas?

Cameron too perhaps if Stoke can turn the corner. Perhaps holding UTD for another 20 mins would give them a boost!

[Joccki_10]

Kelly - C. Palace, 4.4m?

[Geri]

Pieters 4.4 Stoke seems a good options to me seeing their good fixtures

[DanCaek]

I'm on a wilcard and looking at Smith(Bou), Cameron, Amat.

Unsure on Cameron's security?

[Paulista]

I'm on a wilcard and looking at Smith(Bou), Cameron, Amat.

Unsure on Cameron's security?

On a wildcard too. May go with 4 budget to sit with a 5.0 or 5.5.
Already have Amat so I'll stick with him despite a new manager, will also bring in 1 or 2 Stoke budget, and thinking Smith or Holebas for attacking potential.
Cameron has played 90 minutes for 5 games in a row, he's even had 3 shots inside the penalty area, so maybe worth the punt. After they got a good draw at Old Trafford I don't think Hughes will shake things up too much.
I don't fancy Palace, Burnley or West Brom fixtures for October so I'll pass on them.
Friend may drop to 4.4 soon, Boro captain, but only a couple of good fixtures between now and December.

[Aldershot Rejects]

Clean sheets so far this season (pretty much all at home):

0: CPL, STK, SUN, WAT
1: SWA, HUL, MID
2: WBA, BOU, BUR

[The Catman]

Clean sheets so far this season (pretty much all at home):

0: CPL, STK, SUN, WAT
1: SWA, HUL, MID
2: WBA, BOU, BUR

Yes, but BUR was nearly 3 - or as someone nicely put it "Arsenal literally scored with the last hand-ball of the game"

[Aldershot Rejects]

Clean sheets so far this season (pretty much all at home):

0: CPL, STK, SUN, WAT
1: SWA, HUL, MID
2: WBA, BOU, BUR

Yes, but BUR was nearly 3 - or as someone nicely put it "Arsenal literally scored with the last hand-ball of the game"

Indeed, Burnley are very solid at home - the only side to stop Liverpool scoring all season. Well worth considering. Keane (4.9) offers a decent goal threat if you can go that high. Lowton (4.5) decent going forward but likes a yellow card. Ward and Mee are also 4.5 and worth a look - not much goal threat or BP performance thus far though.

[DanCaek]

In our defence, it was unintentional, and their defenders also had 2 unintentional handballs...

BOU/STO/SWA gives the following home fixtures:

08. HUL/SUN
09. WAT
10. SWA
11. SUN
12. BOU
13. CPL
14. BUR
15. SUN
16. SOU
17. SOU
18. WHM
19. BOU
20. WAT

It looks as good a bet as any... I'm not a fan of 2 from 4, I find it a bit weak. I'll take 3 likely complementing Bellerin + Stones.

[The Catman]

In our defence, it was unintentional, and their defenders also had 2 unintentional handballs...

It looks as good a bet as any... I'm not a fan of 2 from 4, I find it a bit weak. I'll take 3 likely complementing Bellerin + Stones.

Ah yes, Stones.....City have one clean sheet, and Stones only played 39 mins in that one....(I have him too )

[DanCaek]

I have no retort of substance, but I'm keeping because 5 mil

[Aldershot Rejects]

I would not be surprised if Michael Keane outscores Stones over the course of the season.

[Paulista]

In search of a budget to replace failed GW8 wildcard punt Zabaleta if he isn't back for next weekend. I don't want to go too left field, so I'm thinking Holebas or Smith? Or is there someone else I'm missing? I already have Stoke covered.

[Geri]

In search of a budget to replace failed GW8 wildcard punt Zabaleta if he isn't back for next weekend. I don't want to go too left field, so I'm thinking Holebas or Smith? Or is there someone else I'm missing? I already have Stoke covered.

Exact situation...
Maybe except the fact that I have Smith. Thinking Holebas or if I downgrade Antonio with my other FT I'll go for Stones.

[Weisenwolf]

In search of a budget to replace failed GW8 wildcard punt Zabaleta if he isn't back for next weekend. I don't want to go too left field, so I'm thinking Holebas or Smith? Or is there someone else I'm missing? I already have Stoke covered.

Exact situation...
Maybe except the fact that I have Smith. Thinking Holebas or if I downgrade Antonio with my other FT I'll go for Stones.

Does this need to be a 1st 11 player?

[Geri]

In search of a budget to replace failed GW8 wildcard punt Zabaleta if he isn't back for next weekend. I don't want to go too left field, so I'm thinking Holebas or Smith? Or is there someone else I'm missing? I already have Stoke covered.

Exact situation...
Maybe except the fact that I have Smith. Thinking Holebas or if I downgrade Antonio with my other FT I'll go for Stones.

Does this need to be a 1st 11 player?

Do you mean Antonio's replacement?
If yes than he should be. My midfield is Alexis,Firmino,Walcot,Antonio and Fletcher.
I don't like any good options under 7mil, but I also can't strech to 8mil where the good prospects seem to be.

[Paulista]

In search of a budget to replace failed GW8 wildcard punt Zabaleta if he isn't back for next weekend. I don't want to go too left field, so I'm thinking Holebas or Smith? Or is there someone else I'm missing? I already have Stoke covered.

Exact situation...
Maybe except the fact that I have Smith. Thinking Holebas or if I downgrade Antonio with my other FT I'll go for Stones.

Stones looks the sensible replacement as Man City have a good fixture run. Unfortunately, I have 0.0 in the bank, so 4.8 would be my maximum. Top of my list are Holebas and Smith, but also thinking about McCauley/Evans or Ogbonna who has dropped down to 4.8, and West Ham have only conceded one in the previous three.

Would obviously like to wait until next weekend for any update on how long Zabaleta is injured for, we may know more mid-week at the league cup presser, but Holebas looks like he could rise mid-week. The 4 yellows worry me, especially as Amat has been dropped.

I may also do Amat Kingsley in a week or two if I have a spare transfer, and if Kingsley has that left-back spot nailed down. Swansea with a new manager and fixtures not too bad now until January, a Swansea defender may be useful for their home games.

[Weisenwolf]

I still have Kingsley and Amat; possibly best keeping both as at least one of them seems to play every game.

[ZeroRemorse]

Francis, Smith and Holebass must surely top this list along with Friend. Bournemouth and Boro will rely on solid defence this season and look like good bets. Smith and Holebass are must haves IMO.

[Finisher1]

Francis, Smith and Holebass must surely top this list along with Friend. Bournemouth and Boro will rely on solid defence this season and look like good bets. Smith and Holebass are must haves IMO.

Holebas is just one yellow card away from suspension so I wouldn't bring him. Although I totally expect many Goal+CS+3BPS performances before his next yellow card.

[ZeroRemorse]

Francis, Smith and Holebass must surely top this list along with Friend. Bournemouth and Boro will rely on solid defence this season and look like good bets. Smith and Holebass are must haves IMO.

Holebas is just one yellow card away from suspension so I wouldn't bring him. Although I totally expect many Goal+CS+3BPS performances before his next yellow card.

It's one game, besides most people will have a rotatable option to cover that game.