Picking fullbacks vs center backs for defence

[huskerdu]

For example Laporte is a bps magnet but with Mendy having a new injury zichenko should be nailed and we should see him get his fair share of assists

Is it worth doing a comparison of loading up on

Zichenko/digne/Robbo vs Laporte/vvd/Coleman

Laporte and vvd were incredible on headers (and vvd should’ve had even more goals last season) but it’s hard to ignore how much players in the first group love to bomb forward.

Any thoughts on opting for fullbacks over center backs?

[Finisher1]

Zinchenko > Laporte
Robertson > VVD
Digne > Coleman

That's my opinion about how I think their PPMs will be.

[Gambit]

For example Laporte is a bps magnet but with Mendy having a new injury zichenko should be nailed and we should see him get his fair share of assists

Is it worth doing a comparison of loading up on

Zichenko/digne/Robbo vs Laporte/vvd/Coleman

Laporte and vvd were incredible on headers (and vvd should’ve had even more goals last season) but it’s hard to ignore how much players in the first group love to bomb forward.

Any thoughts on opting for fullbacks over center backs?

If you are talking keeping them as season long picks and not chopping and changing I don't think there will be that much difference.

Zinchenko v Laporte, Laporte to get more points as I can't see Zinchenko playing every week, IF he does then he could be the better pick

Robertson v VVD, virtually identical last year and I'd expect the same again, Robertson to maybe edge it but then he costs more

Digne v Coleman, Digne showed so much attacking threat I think he'll win comfortably but again he costs more so what can you do with the saving. Coleman a full back too though?

One thing I think could happen this season, and I've absolutely no evidence whatsoever, is that if VAR clamps down on the obscene amount of grappling on set pieces in the PL then your powerhouse CB's like VVD, Maguire, Laporte, Dunk etc will be hard to stop and MAYBE will get more headed goals.

[murf]

Intriguing.

American mis-spelling of 'center' but the correct version of 'defence' plus 'fullbacks' as one word but 'center(re) backs' as two.

Just saying. Just intrigued.

[From4corners]

One thing I think could happen this season, and I've absolutely no evidence whatsoever, is that if VAR clamps down on the obscene amount of grappling on set pieces in the PL then your powerhouse CB's like VVD, Maguire, Laporte, Dunk etc will be hard to stop and MAYBE will get more headed goals.

Or assists for rewarded penalties.

Also, for cheapies I'd go for BHA's fullbacks and Sheffield United's center backs.

[cymbalrush84]

When I look for defenders in the 4.5m bracket, regular gametime and a decent probability of clean sheets is a must, goal contributions play third fiddle. I'd take the punt on someone from Burnley in this instance, would've got double figures in clean sheets last season if it hadn't been for their Europa-ridden start.

Sheff U are someone to keep an eye on too, entertaining the idea of having Kieron Freeman in, 10 goals in 16/17 season, albeit in League 1, which is a sticking point.



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[huskerdu]

Intriguing.

American mis-spelling of 'center' but the correct version of 'defence' plus 'fullbacks' as one word but 'center(re) backs' as two.

Just saying. Just intrigued.

I lived in both the US and Canada

[blahblah]

Ruth did some maffs on this for FPL and was on the CB side, but that was before Robbo and TAA last season.

[Mav3rick]

TAA and Robertson aren't your garden variety full back because they have this triple threat of security of minutes, clean sheets and almost equal number of attacking contributions (in TAA's case at least). The fact that almost all Liverpool's creativity also comes from them and that TAA can be on at least some set pieces just adds to the perfect storm.

Most other full backs don't carry that level of desirability and the attacking returns are very much secondary for them - I can only think of Alonso, maybe Doherty in recent years when playing as a wingback, or the pen takers like Baines who could match that kind of threat, but they all had less defensive stability behind them to really juice up their numbers.

I see those two as probably a cut above any other defender (and almost any other player in FPL actually) but it does need a bit of tempering because Liverpool's xGA was actually not as good as City's despite actually conceding one less goal and claiming two more clean sheets. That for me, brings Laporte into play because I think City are more likely to repeat their clean sheet numbers than Liverpool, and a loss of defensive form will drop the all conquering Liverpool full backs from an unprecedented type of FPL player, down to the level of an Alonso or Baines, where solid defensive displays and a couple of headed goals can equal them.

Other attacking full backs can suffer from rotation (Spurs, Zinchenko) or a lack of defensive stability (Digne, Kolasinac, Doherty) both of which will reduce their points tally too far over the long term.

My feeling is that it's best to go with a couple from Robertson, TAA or Laporte and then try to stick with form and fixtures to boost the next 2 defensive spots. That does kind of mean that the full back vs centre back debate is a bit moot as choices will be limited (since you just need the best player at the moment not for the long term), but unfortunately I think it's a case of chasing the value in an individual rather than finding a rule that player type x is always > player type y.

I'm sure there will be at least one 4.5 player that emerges as a good pick from a slightly unexpected place.

[huskerdu]

TAA and Robertson aren't your garden variety full back because they have this triple threat of security of minutes, clean sheets and almost equal number of attacking contributions (in TAA's case at least). The fact that almost all Liverpool's creativity also comes from them and that TAA can be on at least some set pieces just adds to the perfect storm.

Most other full backs don't carry that level of desirability and the attacking returns are very much secondary for them - I can only think of Alonso, maybe Doherty in recent years when playing as a wingback, or the pen takers like Baines who could match that kind of threat, but they all had less defensive stability behind them to really juice up their numbers.

I see those two as probably a cut above any other defender (and almost any other player in FPL actually) but it does need a bit of tempering because Liverpool's xGA was actually not as good as City's despite actually conceding one less goal and claiming two more clean sheets. That for me, brings Laporte into play because I think City are more likely to repeat their clean sheet numbers than Liverpool, and a loss of defensive form will drop the all conquering Liverpool full backs from an unprecedented type of FPL player, down to the level of an Alonso or Baines, where solid defensive displays and a couple of headed goals can equal them.

Other attacking full backs can suffer from rotation (Spurs, Zinchenko) or a lack of defensive stability (Digne, Kolasinac, Doherty) both of which will reduce their points tally too far over the long term.

My feeling is that it's best to go with a couple from Robertson, TAA or Laporte and then try to stick with form and fixtures to boost the next 2 defensive spots. That does kind of mean that the full back vs centre back debate is a bit moot as choices will be limited (since you just need the best player at the moment not for the long term), but unfortunately I think it's a case of chasing the value in an individual rather than finding a rule that player type x is always > player type y.

I'm sure there will be at least one 4.5 player that emerges as a good pick from a slightly unexpected place.

Great post Mav!

[Stemania]

There's a fun article here which touches on fullbacks vs centre backs

https://fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/the-de ... nt-theory/

and Peter Blake's huge piece (you have to dig) also splits defenders into attacking and defensive categories

https://mathematicallysafe.wordpress.co ... er-league/

As always, the key driver in whether a specific player is a good pick will be the precise attributes of that player (compared to his alternatives), rather than which broad category (FB or CB) we place them in.