Mondogoal Picks – Gameweek 10

The Fantasy Football Scout Mondogoal squad mustered 78 points last weekend – not quite enough to push us into the prize money with some 100-point tallies on show. We return this week, determined to turn our fortunes around with another rinse through the fixture list as we present our targets for the Mondogoal’s weekend contests.

Mondogoal is a new daily and weekly Fantasy Football game on offer this season. In addition to the Premier League, the game covers all the major top-flight leagues – Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer (MLS). You can play games for each one, or even global contests that span across all the leagues. Mondogoal also supports contests for Champions League and Europa League in midweek.

The game is a breeze to play and there’s some very decent prize money on offer: once again, there’s a guaranteed £1,000 pot available for in the £5 entry weekend contest this week. If you’d rather have a tinker for free, there’s also a £100 prize contest on offer.

If you’re keen to get into the nuts and bolts, we’ve laid on a comprehensive strategy guide, offering tips to help you get started. Read on for our selection of targets for the weekend’s contests….

Saturday’s Picks

The day’s seven fixtures include two fixtures that help provide the backbone of our Mondogoal lineups. Arsenal’s meeting with Burnley at the Emirates and Chelsea’s London derby clash with QPR at the Bridge provide worthy assets for consideration from front -to-back.

In attack, Diego Costa at 14.5, looks an expensive gamble given his reported level of fitness, which has me lean towards one or both of the Arsenal strikers against the Clarets.

Alexis Sanchez, at 12.9 million this week, looks value given his run of form – he’s either scored or assisted 70% of the Gunners’ goals when on the pitch and has averaged 10.23 points per game (ppg), having notched 20+ points in his last two outings. Danny Welbeck is the cheaper option at 11.6 and, against the struggling Burnley rearguard that’s conceded 12 goals in its last four matches, he should get the opportunity to boost his humble 5.41 ppg record.

While the Arsenal midfield looks best avoided as Aaron Ramsey settles after injury, Chelsea offer a couple of obvious targets in Eden Hazard (12.3m) and Cesc Fabregas (12.m). That pair have both returned 10+ ppg to this point and I’d prioritise at least one for the Mondogoal midfield slot, given that Costa’s minutes are perhaps uncertain. Oscar is your differential here – at 10.9 he’s priced fairly kindly and at 8.51 ppg, has the promise to deliver against the R’s.

At the back, Branislav Ivanovic will return from his midweek suspension and again looks value at 8.6. You can pick up Calum Chambers for just 6.7 million, with Arsenal looking likely to earn back-to-back clean sheets against a Burnley side who will surely struggle to gain possession at the Emirates.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Mondogoal managers have to again consider Southampton’s assets for their visit to Hull, with both Graziano Pelle (8.9m) and Dusan Tadic (8.4m) remaining the favoured options. Mondogoal go on undervaluing that pair, while even at 12.5 million, Sadio Mane, if fit, looks another candidate to consider given the Saints’ form.

I’m steering clear of Liverpool’s tricky trip to a resurgent Newcastle side, while, apart from Leighton Baines as an option at the back, I’m not tempted by Everton’s squad at home to Swansea. West Brom’s Sadio Berahino once again makes a play for a spot in my forward line and, at 9.1 million, he’s priced kindly enough to find a place in my lineup ahead of his meeting with Leicester: Nigel Pearson’s side have conceded 10 goals in their last five outings.

West Ham’s trip to Stoke offers some potential, although with doubts hanging over Diafra Sakho, we could be robbed of a value option up top. Instead, there could be some merit in backing the Hammers defence, with Aaron Cresswell looking a viable option at just 5.6 million: he’s returned assists in his last two and, despite being the cheapest option in Sam Allardyce’s defence, boasts the best points-per-game tally of 5.24. I’m also favouring Adrian in goal – like Cresswell, he’s available for 5.6 million this week.

Sunday Picks

While the Manchester derby will undoubtedly cater for our Sunday viewing, in Mondogoal terms, it presents an unpredictable scenario that is perhaps best avoided for your weekend contest lineups.

City will go into the encounter as favourites but, having suffered a shock Capital One Cup reverse in midweek, their stock took a dent. United, meanwhile, will look to build on the progress shown in the draw with Chelsea. This one looks hard to call.

Sergio Aguero can be backed to provide the cutting edge for City once again and, at 11.8 million, price isn’t too big an obstacle. Elsewhere, there are risks to take – not least Angel Di Maria, whose 15.1 million price tag is too rich for my blood. Given that neither defence can be trusted, Mondogoal managers will be wise to enjoy the derby as a spectacle but give it a wide berth as a source of points. If you really must take a punt on this one, I’d consider the much-maligned Marouane Fellaini, at just 5.1 in midfield.

Sunday’s other tie is equally tricky for very different reasons with goals perhaps at a premium. Aston Villa have blanked in their last five outings, while Tottenham are showing stuttering form: confidence is at a low in both camps.

At a push, Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen were both rested for the midweek Capital One Cup tie and could offer potential at 11.6 and 9.0 million respectively. Harry Kane (9.1m) is a gamble up front and could be an option for those playing Sunday contests: he’s delivered eight goals in 12 appearances this term and may get a start at Villa Park. At the back, Younes Kaboul presents an option at 7.1 million, given Villa’s barren run in attack.

Monday’s Picks

Selhurst Park provides the venue for the game under lights, with the home side presenting a number of candidates for consideration for weekend contests. Sunderland pay visit having been conceded ten goals in their last two without reply and I have to back Palace to pile on further misery.

At the back, Brede Hangeland looks a bargain at just 5.7 having already notched a pair of goals this term. Going forward, there’s always the gamble on Wilfried Zaha at 5.4 – the United loanee has registered 6.7 ppg from limited opportunities so far. Yannick Bolasie (6.8m) and Mile Jedinak (7.8m) look more assured starters and could be in the points, having worked in tandem to supply Palace’s penalty in the 2-2 draw at West Brom last time out.