From a Fantasy Premier League Perspective

Despite the inevitable loss of FPL favourite Charles N’Zogbia to Aston Villa, there remains several budget targets within the squad to consider for our 2011/12 FPL squads. In this article, I will proceed to highlight one player from the four sections of the squad who I believe could prove to be a fruitful investment for the coming season.

Goalkeeper: Ali Al-Habsi

Now firmly established as Wigan’s first-choice Goalkeeper, Al-Habsi is currently one of the most selected Goalkeepers within the FPL game. Amassing a total of 125 points last season, I can only see Wigan’s number 26 going from strength to strength in both real life and FPL terms this time round. Although we are yet to see how the new EA system will affect the ability of Goalkeepers to secure Bonus Points, Al-Habsi will continue to rack up the save points which will render him an effective budget Goalkeeper.

Defender: Antolin Alcaraz

Although he is yet to feature at all in Wigan’s pre-season, Alcaraz seems all but guaranteed to reclaim his place alongside Gary Caldwell in the heart of Wigan’s defence for the season opener. The highest-scoring Wigan defender of 2010/11, Alcaraz presents the most-likely goal threat amongst Wigan’s defenders, venturing forward for all set pieces unlike fellow centre-half Gary Caldwell. Alcaraz offers real value at 4.5 and must come under consideration as a budget defensive option, particularly given Wigan’s favourable opening fixtures.

Midfielder: Victor Moses

Having battled Tom Cleverley for the attacking role on the left-hand side of Martinez’ preferred 4-5-1 throughout the previous campaign Moses now appears nailed-on for that role. Moses has displayed sterling form already in pre-season, establishing himself as something of a prolific goal scorer. Furthermore, the sale of Bonus magnet Charles N’Zogbia may work in Moses favour, who in my opinion, has the potential to rack up Bonus Points on a similar scale as the most obvious source of attacking threat in the Wigan side.

Striker: Hugo Rodallega

Often a source of frustration for Wigan supporters, Rodallega remains an effective FPL player. It was no surprise to learn that Rodallega registered the highest number of shots off target of any player in the division last season. However, Rodallega still managed to score 9 goals in the Premier League. One negative aspect which may affect his FPL potential is the overtaking of penalty duties by Ben Watson. Yet if Rodallega can improve his conversion rate, I believe he could manage around 15 goals in the Premier League.