The Knee Jerk – Saturday

Saturday’s events were dominated by Manchester City’s seven-goal haul as they destroyed a hapless Norwich City at the Etihad. With the points still being calculated and the performances still fresh in our mind, Manuel Pellegrini’s side dominate our early Gameweek thinking…

The Game Changer

Red hot form, top of the Captain Poll, the most transferred in player ahead of the Gameweek. The scene was set for Sergio Aguero to deliver and he didn’t disappoint. Those who took a hit to bring in the Argentine must be delighted – his 15-point return, with maximum bonus surely to follow, offered a handsome pay-off.

As we’ve written on these pages in recent weeks – Aguero has built a case to be considered “essential” even before today’s performance against Norwich. Looking at his numbers now, the lure to invest in Aguero is almost overwhelming.

He’s now scored in his last five league starts – collecting seven goals and five assists in that devastating spell. That’s seen Aguero hit the top of the overall FPL rankings and, even in a season where a case of heavy-hitting strikers have performed, he’s become difficult to ignore.

The threat of rotation and Aguero’s propensity to suffer injury provide the caveats. While City’s Champions League campaign and Manuel Pellegrini’s options in Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic cause some concern, it should be noted that Aguero has only failed to start one match when fully fit – the trip to Stoke City in Gameweek 4. Having dropped points at the Britannia, we have to wonder if Pellegrini has had a rethink when it comes to his prolific marksman. There’s little doubt that he has now become central to their title ambitions.

Certainly the argument that Aguero is a rotation risk is becoming increasingly muted as it continues to be drowned out by a torrent of goals and assists.

The Underused

With our forward lines packed with quality, there is an understandable reluctance to jump on Aguero’s form. While today’s returns made that stance harder to justify, the David Silva option in midfield does at least present another route to attempt to cover City’s unquenchable thirst for goals.

Silva’s ownership still sits at just 6% tonight and yet his 8-point return, with perhaps bonus points to follow, will mean that the Spaniard has shown strong consistency. He’s now returned goals or assists in five of his seven league appearances, while bonus points tonight would see him challenge at the top of the current midfield form rankings.

Yaya Toure’s huge ownership is perhaps the reason behind the reluctance to adopt Silva as a midfield option. Another set-piece goal for the Ivorian today will likely see his owners keep the faith, however, there is a strong argument to say that Silva, a cheaper alternative to Toure, will eventually surpass his team-mate’s points tally. Toure has relied on goals from three stunning free-kicks this season, whilst Silva is everywhere, providing incisive passes in the attacking third and a good level of efforts on goal from open play.

While the floodgates remain wide open for Pellegrini’s attack-minded outfit, Silva’s consistent supply of points looks assured.

The Selection Poser

Sticking with Pellegrini’s side, his decision to drop Joe Hart to the bench and retain Costel Pantilimon in goal has given Fantasy managers food for thought. Hart has never been a major temptation given his price point but Pantilimon is a different matter. At just 4.9, the Romanian would provide the cheapest route into the City back four from here on in.

Today’s clean sheet was the first since Gameweek 4 but, with the fixture list improving and with City well capable of dominating matches and starving opponents of possession, they may now be a case to consider their rearguard with a sub 5.0 FPL asset on offer. The issue, of course, is just how long Pellegrini will keep faith with Pantilimon given that, in World Cup year, he will be under pressure to recall Hart to the City goal.