We’re about to enter the hectic festive period.
There will be seven Gameweek deadlines to negotiate in the space of 31 days, with midweek matches starting from next week, in Gameweek 14.
At some point, one of your players (if not a number) will get injured, rotated or suspended, so now more than ever, we should really make sure we have a deep bench, with good cover in each position.
The primary function of these players is to be an emergency option on our benches, to be ready to come in for a two-point (or hopefully better) return when required.
The first requirement of such a player is that he is a reliable starter. That immediately rules out a large number of budget options, like Southampton’s Tyler Dibling (£4.5m).
They’ll ideally have some decent fixtures on the horizon, too.
Using this criteria, here are a few outfield players in each position who might be useful in this hectic period.
DEFENDERS
Prior to Gameweek 12, Fabian Hurzeler said Lewis Dunk (£4.4m) was “close” after a return to training.
He failed to make Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, but it’s surely only a matter of time before the Brighton and Hove Albion skipper returns to the starting XI, providing he doesn’t suffer any setbacks.
“He is my captain and one of my most important players. He knows the club and their history and values. He has all the knowledge, which is good when I am new here. I can learn a lot from him. I am very happy that he is my captain.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Lewis Dunk
Brighton have a kind upcoming schedule, with fixtures against Southampton, Fulham, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Brentford and Aston Villa before the end of the year.
The Seagulls are cup-free until January, too, reducing the risk of rotation.
You could easily play Dunk in quite a few of those matches listed above, but at a cost of just £4.4m, he’s perfect bench fodder.
At the back, Brighton have kept three clean sheets so far, a decent enough return given the fixtures. They also rank among the top 10 sides for shots conceded, with 154.
Furthermore, Dunk brings a goal threat. Rarely subbed off, he scored three times in 2023/24.
Should Hurzeler provide a positive update on his calf problem later this week, Dunk could prove a useful festive addition.
Among sub-£5.0m defenders, Levi Colwill (£4.5m) is at the top of RMT’s points projections over the next seven Gameweeks.
Admittedly, Chelsea haven’t kept a clean sheet since Gameweek 5, but they have conceded the fifth-fewest shots over that period. They’ve also conceded four penalties, the most in the league.
If they can eradicate some of those silly mistakes, Colwill should offer a bit of value.
Chelsea are out of the EFL Cup but have to contest an extra UEFA Europa Conference League game in between Gameweeks 16 and 17. That said, the Blues have been using a B team for their continental clashes, boosting Colwill’s appeal.
From a defensive perspective, Chelsea’s fixtures improve in Gameweeks 17-19. It’s the key period over Xmas, given the tight turnaround, so having a reliable bench option who can step in with a good fixture could prove useful.
Colwill is on three yellow cards, however – two more and he’ll suffer a one-match ban.
Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez (£4.4m) is also worth a look.
Full-backs are, of course, more prone to rotation in December, but the Hungary international has started every league game so far this season, averaging 84.1 minutes per appearance.
In that time, he’s delivered 31 crosses and created 12 chances for his team-mates.
Bournemouth have the fifth-best fixtures over the next seven Gameweeks, at least according to our Season Ticker.
Three future opponents – Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United and Crystal Palace – also rank among the worst five sides for key passes conceded from their right flank.
Cheaper options are available in the £4.0m bracket, like the Ipswich Town centre-halves and Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£4.1m). However, reservations exist about all of the newly-promoted sides’ defences and clean sheets are not something we expect them to get a lot of in the coming weeks.
Therefore, it might be better to push a bit more budget into these spots.
MIDFIELDERS
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