The Scout pinpoints the clubs and players to target for the upcoming period in Fantasy Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur
Owners of Son Heung-min (£9.5m) and James Maddison (£8.1m) in Fantasy are facing a major decision in the coming Gameweeks, with a host of midfielders from other clubs offering kinder runs of opponents.
See: What FPL experts are doing with Spurs players
The Spurs pair are among the five most-selected midfielders, found in 38 and 34 per cent of squads respectively.
Both have enjoyed strong starts under new head coach Ange Postecoglou this season. Son ranks fourth overall in the FPL scoring charts, on 54 points, while Maddison has amassed 47 points.
However, a swing in schedule difficulty from Gameweek 10 in favour of Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United could persuade many managers to consider selling the Spurs pair.
See: Why GW10 is a great time to Wildcard
Fixture swing from Gameweek 10
| GW | Spurs | Arsenal | Brighton | West Ham |
| 9 | FUL (H) | CHE (A) | MCI (A) | AVL (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | CRY (A) | SHU (H) | FUL (H) | EVE (H) |
| 11 | CHE (H) | NEW (A) | EVE (A) | BRE (A) |
| 12 | WOL (A) | BUR (H) | SHU (H) | NFO (H) |
| 13 | AVL (H) | BRE (A) | NFO (A) | BUR (A) |
| 14 | MCI (A) | WOL (H) | CHE (A) | CRY (H) |
| 15 | WHU (H) | LUT (A) | BRE (H) | TOT (A) |
| 16 | NEW (H) | AVL (A) | BUR (H) | FUL (A) |
Hold for the short term
Spurs’ short-term schedule at least looks encouraging for more returns.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), three of their next four matches, against Fulham, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers, score only two.
Son heads into this period on the back of six goals in five matches since being moved up front in Gameweek 4.
Indeed, the South Korean is the top-scoring player in Fantasy over that run, amassing 46 points to the 25 of Maddison.
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️@Sonny7's sensational September 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/rTYvEgGtxL
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 2, 2023
Son’s potential for huge armband hauls is highlighted by scores of 20 points against Burnley and 14 points against Arsenal in that period.
The underlying numbers show Son has boasted a considerably greater threat than Maddison since his change of position, especially from close range.
Although the pair are similar for shots and shots on target, Son betters Maddison by 13 shots in the box to four and by six big chances to zero.
Son and Maddison goal threat compared
| 2023/24 | Son GW1-3 | Maddison GW1-3 | Son GW4-8 | Maddison GW4-8 |
| Shots | 5 | 8 | 18 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shots in box | 3 | 7 | 13 | 4 |
| Big chances | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Shots on target | 1 | 4 | 10 | 9 |
| Goals | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
A comparison with their previous displays, when Son featured as a left winger, is very telling.
Maddison was the most threatening of the pair in the first three Gameweeks, with seven shots in the box and two big chances.
Since, then, however, he has had four shots in the box and had zero big chances in the subsequent five matches.
Son and Maddison creativity GW4-8
| 2023/24 | Son | Maddison |
| Key passes | 5 | 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Big chances created | 2 | 4 |
| Assists | 0 | 3 |
In terms of creativity, there is no contest, with Maddison’s 16 key passes being more than three times the five of Son from Gameweek 4 onwards.
Maddison ranks among the top four players in Fantasy for both key passes and big chances created since Son moved up front, underlining his major influence on Postecoglou’s attack.
Don't overlook the defence
Spurs' defenders have also been profitable picks, with each of their first-choice back four producing 30+ points this season thanks to their all-round output.
Pedro Porro (£5.1m) boasts a significantly greater attacking threat than the rest of his fellow defenders, with his 11 shots and 10 key passes placing top of Spurs' back four.
Spurs defenders compared
| 2023/24 | Porro | Romero | Van de Ven | Udogie |
| Shots | 11 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shots in box | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Goals | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Key passes | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Assists | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| CBI | 30 | 52 | 30 | 34 |
Cristian Romero’s (£4.8m) defensive numbers are also worth noting.
The centre-back’s 52 clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBI) are significantly more than the rest of the Spurs backline, lifting his chances of earning bonus points whenever they keep a clean sheet.
Indeed, Romero has collected bonus in two of the three matches Spurs have kept a clean sheet, earning an eight-point haul at Luton Town last time out.
So, what should managers do?
The numbers indicate Son should be the one Spurs player managers keep hold of for the upcoming period.
There’s a clear change in the goal threat of both Son and Maddison since the former moved up front, and Son's ability to deliver huge hauls can make him a "season-keeper" in many FPL squads.
Maddison’s all-round style of play means he will consistently deliver returns and while there’s merit in holding for now, he looks the easiest sell of the pair.
At the back, Porro’s attacking threat makes him the top target, while Romero’s multiple routes to returns should not be overlooked.
View all the latest FPL tips ahead of Gameweek 9 in Fantasy Premier League
