So you’ve successfully picked Costa, Fabregas, Sigurdsson and the like and you’re happy with your top 500k place in the fantasy league pyramid. Can these players last the pace and keep delivering the goods week on week? There will be a couple of players as in years gone past like Suarez, Van Persie and looking back further Ronaldo that you just won’t sell as they always produce the goods on a wet night in the north east with one leg.

They are a special breed but not all players are made of that same stuff. When is the best time to take them out and beat the rush for the next big thing? Christian Eriksen showed us last year a player with a late season surge of form can thrust a manager from a good season to a great season.

Looking at this seasons “template squad” there will a lot of players we mention that you already own. It’s easy to pick a player that has over 25% ownership and put him in your side safe in the knowledge you can probably gain a steady few places each week. That’s not what makes you the big gains though. So we’ll look through the most owned squad in Fantasy Premier League and the main protagonists to break the mould.

Goalkeepers

Krul 17.8%

Howard 16.0%

With Krul coming in at a bargain price of 4.5m at the start of the season and rotation with overachiever Vito Mannone of Sunderland and a near perfect rotation schedule with Man Utd’s David De Gea (5.4m, 14.0%) he was an obvious pick. It’s been a shaky start for Krul and many will be looking to move him on but probably there’s more pressing concerns elsewhere. If Pardew remains in Toon and they can find some form Krul will be a key part of that so still expect the save points to be rolling in all season. Much the same for Howard as the usual rock solid Everton defence has had a few weeks off and they find themselves with the weakest defence in the league shipping 16 goals, but with a few of the big boys out the way and a decent calendar in front of them expect Howard to be amongst the points again.

Of the potential suitors Courtois and Sczeszny look like good prospects at 6.0m and 5.4m respectively and could be good picks for a single goalkeeper strategy. If you’re looking for a two goalkeeper strategy then the combination of Forster (5.1m/6.2%) and Schmeichel (4.5m/5.5%) look good value with perfect rotation of fixtures and strong home form expected.

Defenders

Ivanovic 27.1%

Clyne 26.2%

Dier 25.5%

Lovren 22.3%

Vlaar 17.9%

The big Serb stands tall at the top of the ownership standings and with a haul of 44 points it’s easy to see why. Southampton’s full backs have been amongst the points both scoring 36 points but Clyne is owned by 26.2% of managers compared to just 12.1% for Bertrand. Eric Dier’s impressive start at White Hart Lane saw many takers after 29 points in the opening 2 gameweeks but just 5 points in the following 5 gameweeks may mean it’s time to move him on to pastures new especially if Kyle Naughtons injury doesn’t rule him out long term. Dejan Lovrens 16 points have been a source of frustration for myself as I’m sure for the other 22.3% of managers. A torn abdominal muscle on international duty is unlikely to keep him out for the QPR game but many managers will be getting restless on Liverpools inability to clean sheets and long range worldys from Phil Jagielka. Villa have been excellent this season owners of Vlaar will no doubt be keeping the big Dutch defender as he continuously gets linked to all corners of the Premier League.

With Evertons upturn in fixtures we look no further than Leighton Baines. At 7.0m he’s not cheap but there aren’t many defenders that can offer as much threat going forward. Not much more expensive than Lovren is Arsenals Per Mertesacker, with Arsenals potential for clean sheets and Debuchy on the treatment table the big German could be the route for those guaranteed 6 points every week. As mentioned above Ryan Bertrands start at St. Marys has caught the eye and comparing to Clyne he offers a definite alternative to the saints defence with attacking benefits. Man Uniteds defence has been far from steady this season thus far but those looking at the longer game should take a look at Rafael. 5.3m for an attacking full back who could finish in the top 4 sounds a no brainer, get the next tough few fixtures out the way and it could be.

Midfielders

Sterling 53%

Fabregas 51.4%

Di Maria 44.8%

Sigurdsson 38.2%

Schneiderlin 18.5%

Looking at the ownership levels of the top 5 midfielders in FPL there is a definite template going on here. Four of the top 5 look like potential season keepers and Morgan Schneiderlin could be this seasons’ hidden gem that emerges from the shadows.

Who can break this strangle hold? The obvious omission from that list is the lack of an Arsenal midfielder. Aaron Ramsay has been steady with 29 points and 18.0% ownership at 8.8m but the gem in the rough for me is Theo Walcott. Priced at 9.0m and yet to play any minutes yet this season it may take a few weeks for him to bed in but has the potential to be a 200 points a season man. Eden Hazard is another man with the potential to go past 200 points this season, maybe not as consistent as Cesc Fabregas but has the potential for an explosive gameweek score so it begs the question. What would you pick? At the cheaper end of the scale Nacer Chadli is keeping the more expensive Eriksen and Lamela in the shade and 1.5m cheaper than them he is definitely one for the watch list. Stewart Downing is another Gylfi Sigurdsson wannabe and seems reborn in his new role in the hole this season. Food for thought for the weeks ahead.

Forwards

Costa 66.8%

Naismith 26.8%

Ulloa 23.0%

With over two thirds of managers picking Diego Costa I think it would take a massive shift in form for his ownership to decline in anyway significant. The second and third choices for me are definitely third choice striking spot options but with their good form have played their way into our thoughts. Both Everton and Leicester have a kind run of fixtures over the next 6 weeks so I can’t see them being shifted in the near to mid-term future.

There are options to replace these players all over the place and these three places will probably define our seasons as to where we finish. Starting at the lower end of the scale Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse showed against Swansea he knows where the goal is and with Newcastle reverting to a 4-3-3 system with him at the point of the attack where he was so prolific a couple of seasons back and only 5.9m he could find his way into a few squads should his ability to find the net continue.

In the mid-price bracket Graziano Pelle has shown some good form after the saints’ impressive start to the season. Pelle has two home fixtures against Sunderland and Stoke next so it’s highly likely he will add to his four goals and assist so far this season.

As team values grow most managers in my opinion will want two big hitters up top to guarantee the supply of goals each week. Diego Costa has become the new Luis Suarez but the second spot is there to be had. Some will rely on a mid-priced attacker like Pelle as we’ve mentioned or Dzeko or Lukaku. Most will want to dine at the top table and the likes of Sturridge, Aguero and the united pair of RVP and Falcao will all be keenly watched in the weeks to come.

Aguero, Sturridge and even RVP are hard to ignore when fit and playing well. All though are known to have glass legs so that’s why Falcao is an interesting pick. He will be assured starts under Van Gaal and has terrified defences all around Europe for a few years now and showed against Everton with a well taken goal he’s the kind of poacher capable of better than a 1 in 2 ratio. Only time will tell how the united attack develops but you can be assured of goals and that means FPL points so watch this space!

Conclusion

The scrabble in the first few weeks for the template team is alive and kicking, but we’ve seen from Di Maria it can easily be broken up when a player breaks the mould and gives us a choice. Do I stick with the tried players that most of the league has or do I change and pick someone who could give me the opportunity to make the difference. I suppose that’s what defines us as managers and what make Sir Alex such a great manager. The ability to break up a team and recreate a new successful one. When to stick when a player hasn’t scored in two games or whether to move onto the next big thing.

These decisions happen every day for most of us as we constantly struggle for FPL perfection. In my eyes though, a green arrow is all the adrenalin we need!!