Gianni Buttice (@giannibuttice) returns with his FPL tips for Gameweek 17, and focuses on three value defender replacements for the Wolverhampton Wanderers player Rayan Aït-Nouri.
FPL Tips Gameweek 17: Three Value Replacements For Rayan Aït-Nouri
With Rayan Aït-Nouri having 4 yellow cards still hanging over his head and difficult fixtures on the horizon, the Algerian is an immediate sell this week.
When you look at his sub 15% ownership, the Wolves defender doesn’t feel mass owned but when you consider engaged FPL managers, around 70% of my YouTube audience voted yes to owning Aït-Nouri last weekend.
At the time of writing, three of the top five transfers in this gameweek have been for a defender which is rare to see and its Lewis Hall, Antonee Robinson and Gabriel who are most in demand.
When shopping for a defender that priced 5 million or less however, these are my top 3 FPL tips to replace him with.
FPL Tips Gameweek 17: Anthony Robinson (Fulham)
Anthony Robinson has six assists so far this season, no other full back has more than three. Fulham might not be the best source of clean sheets having only picked up two, but Robinson gives you attacking upside like very few.
The American has played 90 minutes in every single Fulham league game this season and surprisingly, he still under 20% owned.
With brilliant fixtures moving forward the left back is the is hard to turn down, with three of his next four games at home including Southampton Bournemouth and Ipswich.
FPL Tips Gameweek 17: Nicola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest)
Forest are an under rated defence and the majority of FPL managers have slept on defensive players from Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.
The Portuguese manager has a reputation of shutting teams out and an investment into his back line is always a smart move.
Nicola Milenkovic has been a 90-minute man for Forest since Gameweek 2 and has the second highest expected goals of all defenders in the game which has seen him earn two goals, one assist so far.
It’s a mixed bag of fixtures over the festive run but that shouldn’t deter you from buying the Serb who can pick up a clean sheet even in tougher games.
FPL Tips Gameweek 17: Lewis Hall (Newcastle)
Lewis Hall is a player I own and whilst I’m very happy holding him and he’s a good buy this week for many, I only rank him third in this list.
Three of Newcastle’s next four games are on the road and their away form isn’t good.
Hall isn’t the most reliable source of clean sheets, but he does offer lots in attack and off the back of his 15 pointer at the weekend, Hall has been a standout player for Eddie Howe’s men this season, which has seen him break into the England squad for the first time.
Hall is always encouraged to get forward from left back and he’s a constant threat with excellent creative numbers. He does well in the bonus points system and takes half the set pieces which adds to his assist threat.
