£4.0m/£4.5m defensive gems - 2017/18

[OIEIAO]

Looks like we have our work cut out this year.
Only seven defenders who played more than three quarters of last season's PL, in this price range, and three of those are at Michael Keane-less Burnley.

Simpson and Morgan available at Leicester but not sure who Harry Maguire (5.0 like Fuchs and Huth) has come in to replace.

Fernandez at Swansea?
Someone at Palace if they can summon the spirit of Big Sam?
Stoke?
Promoted defenders?

Goalkeeping wise like the look of Foster at 4.5 but no west brom defenders at the same price.

[Stemania]

Yep, looks like a bit of a defensive price ramp has happened.

An Everton RB @ 4.5m could be a good option early doors (either Holgate or potentially the new and for some reason FPL unpriced signing Martina). And Francis and Simpson look decent to me.

Other than that, there's only really the promoted sides, possibly one Palace CB (Tompkins/Delaney are currently 4.5m - though they'll probably sign someone), Stoke RB (Johnson/Bardsley?), Keane-less Burnley and then some middling CBs (Prodl/Kaboul or Fernandez etc). Not thrilling.

[Tall Paul]

Michael Keane-less Burnley are still likely to be pretty solid, particularly at home.

[The Username]

Waterford defenders in my opinion under Silvas management.

[Aardvark]

Keep an eye on Josh Tymon at Stoke. Signed from the Tigers and is a very good up and coming young player. If he can dislodge Pieters (or A.N. Other) he will be good value at 4.5.

[Poison Idea]

I can't see past a 4.5 Newcastle defender. Good fixtures, 40 goals conceded last season, Benitez. Don't know who yet, would prefer Ciaran Clark, seven Premier League goals, most experienced, three goals last season. Not sure if he's nailed on though. Lascelles, Dummett, Yedlin other options.

[asm_fanz]

Michael Keane-less Burnley are still likely to be pretty solid, particularly at home.

Any chance Kevin Long gets a spot in the starting XI Tall Paul ?
I noticed he started the last 3 PL games last season

[Tall Paul]

Michael Keane-less Burnley are still likely to be pretty solid, particularly at home.

Any chance Kevin Long gets a spot in the starting XI Tall Paul ?
I noticed he started the last 3 PL games last season

I would say that there's no chance. Once we've replaced Keane (and we will, possibly with Craig Dawson), Long will be back to fourth choice.

He only started those games at the end of last season because Keane and Mee were both injured.

[Mav3rick]

The cheap rotations would fit Fernandez, Francis and Burnley early on. Decent first 6 weeks or so possible with those.

In fact, with a palace option too, the 3x4.5 defender strategy looks quite simple early on. Just need to decide if any of the 5.0 crew played more frequently is a better bet.

Here is the rotation thread

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=124600

[Brightwater]

Will Bournemouth first choice back 4 be the all 5 million Smith Ake Cook Daniels?...with 4.5 Francis challenging Smith and Ake? Any Bournemouth fans have an opinion?

[SFC_Fan]

Shame that aren't 4.0 options really.

May go with Foster and Myhil to save 0.5

[asm_fanz]

Michael Keane-less Burnley are still likely to be pretty solid, particularly at home.

Any chance Kevin Long gets a spot in the starting XI Tall Paul ?
I noticed he started the last 3 PL games last season

I would say that there's no chance. Once we've replaced Keane (and we will, possibly with Craig Dawson), Long will be back to fourth choice.

He only started those games at the end of last season because Keane and Mee were both injured.

Thanks for the info!
Cheers

[redcat1]

Will Bournemouth first choice back 4 be the all 5 million Smith Ake Cook Daniels?...with 4.5 Francis challenging Smith and Ake? Any Bournemouth fans have an opinion?

In my opinion Francis will likely start the season at the right back but can see Smith taking the spot within a couple of months

[Edwaardz]

I've gone with Duffy (BHA) and Lascelles (NEW) for the moment. Wondering if Chilwell could replace Fuchs?

[GreekGeekFromGweek]

Waterford defenders in my opinion under Silvas management.

Cobh Ramblers are better defensively, as are Cabinteely.

[yttod1010]

Will bednarek start at Southampton

[SFC_Fan]

Will bednarek start at Southampton

No. I think he will probably be 4th choice at the start of the season behind Vvd, Yoshida and Stephens. Could change if vvd leaves though.

[TheBigLewandowski]

Will Lejeune (sp?) Start at Newcastle?
Not sure who is most nailed on to start in CD for them out of Lascelles, Clark, Hanley etc?

[Billy Bongo]

Michael Keane-less Burnley are still likely to be pretty solid, particularly at home.

Tarkowski deserves his chance to play regularly, and shame for Ward with us getting a striking scumbag from shit city.

Sent from mobile

[bigcliff2]

Will Lejeune (sp?) Start at Newcastle?
Not sure who is most nailed on to start in CD for them out of Lascelles, Clark, Hanley etc?

Lejeune is pretty highly rated from what I gather

[Stocker16]

Ogbonna at 4.5m seems a solid pick from the WHM defence

[swadd1er]

Will Lejeune (sp?) Start at Newcastle?
Not sure who is most nailed on to start in CD for them out of Lascelles, Clark, Hanley etc?

Lejeune is pretty highly rated from what I gather

It looks like Hanley could be off, more than likely back into the Championship. Lejuene and Clark most nailed I'd say with Mbemba slotting in here and there. Yedlin and Dummett pick themselves.

[Poison Idea]

Lejuene and Clark most nailed I'd say with Mbemba slotting in here and there.

Jamaal Lascelles was made captain by Benitez last August, started 43 Championship games last season.

https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/archive/las ... ed-captain

[blahblah]

Not looked yet as TdF is still rolling along: but it looks like the Cheap Defence Policy has been stuffed?

Unless people are brave enough to go with 2 or 3 Skunks at the back?

[djskope]

Will Lejeune (sp?) Start at Newcastle?
Not sure who is most nailed on to start in CD for them out of Lascelles, Clark, Hanley etc?

Lejeune is pretty highly rated from what I gather

It looks like Hanley could be off, more than likely back into the Championship. Lejuene and Clark most nailed I'd say with Mbemba slotting in here and there. Yedlin and Dummett pick themselves.

Player / Price / % ownership
Yedlin £4.5 6.2
Lascelles £4.5 4.3
Hanley £4.0 2.3
Gámez £4.0 2.1
Lejeune £4.5 1.4
Dummett £4.5 1.2
Clark £4.5 1.1

Slightly confused. Lejuene and Clark were mentioned as the most nailed?
Any ideas why is this not reflected by their % ownership so far?

I myself have gone for Lascelles.

P.S. What does the phrase 'pick themselves' mean in the quoted sentence? Heard it before but never understood it.

[blahblah]

P.S. What does the phrase 'pick themselves' mean in the quoted sentence? Heard it before but never understood it.

"First name on the Teamsheet"; the Manager doesn't think about picking them he just does hence they pick themselves.

[mitchyg1980]

Dunk at Brighton picks up a few goals but can be a bit of a card liability. I'd probably go for him over Duffy though for the goal threat

[djskope]

"First name on the Teamsheet"; the Manager doesn't think about picking them he just does hence they pick themselves.

Thanks bb - that makes sense.
Any ideas on why the (supposed) most nailed players have a lower % ownership?

[blahblah]

Any ideas on why the (supposed) most nailed players have a lower % ownership?

Only Jesus is nailed on

Seriously, there will be a lot of Auto Picks, and also there aren't actually that many nailed on players?

[Stemania]

Yedlin and Dummett are certainly first choice full-backs for now, but I'd expect us to sign both a new LB and a RB tbh - certainly a new RB now Anita has gone. Yedlin was rotated with Anita last season as is pretty awful defensively but super quick going forward - so only really suited for certain games. The other option there is Gamez (who can also play LB), but he's old, was injured most of last year, and didn't play much even when fit - I suspect he's mainly there to be groomed for an eventual coaching role. Dummett was undisputed first choice LB; we have a couple of poor LB backups in Lazaar and Haidara, but I'd expect both of them to be moved on.

CB is an open question for me. Mbemba I would agree is 4th choice, but it could be any one of Lascelles, Clark and Lejeune who misses out I think. Lascelles is captain, but the general feeling among fans seems to be that Clark was the best CB last season. Depends how good Lejeune tuns out to be. Hanley getting moved out as mentioned.

Similarly, in goal it could be anyone atm. It's wasn't entirely clear at the end of the season who is first choice between Darlow and Elliot, and now Krul is back and we're continually linked with new GKs.

So basically, I would say none of the back 5 are guaranteed to be first choice come GW1 as things stand.