A change in schedule for a number of clubs means many managers in Fantasy Premier League could soon be considering selling Tottenham Hotspur pair Son Heung-min (£9.5m) and James Maddison (£8.1m).
The Spurs pair have soared in popularity in Fantasy thanks to their strong starts under new head coach Ange Postecoglou.
Son ranks third in the overall player standings on 68 points and is owned by 35 per cent of managers.
Maddison, meanwhile, is the second most-selected midfielder, rewarding his 39 per cent backers with 56 points.
However, their upcoming schedule takes a turn for the worse at a point when clubs such as Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United embark on kind runs of fixtures.
Fixture swing from Gameweek 10
| GW | Spurs | Arsenal | Brighton | West Ham |
| 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) |
Players such as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard (both £8.5m), Kaoru Mitoma (£6.5m) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.4m) could prove key figures over the upcoming period, and with Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) looking a must-have, the competition for midfield spots in Fantasy is fierce.
See: FPL expert Gianni Buttice's Gameweek 10 Wildcard squad
When analysing the Spurs duo’s displays, Son’s change of position from a left winger to a centre-forward in Gameweek 4 has to be factored in.
The South Korean blanked in all three of his opening matches to collect a mere eight points.
Maddison, by contrast, amassed 22 points in those encounters thanks to one goal and two assists.
Postecoglou’s decision to move Son up front against Burnley in Gameweek 4 has proven a masterstroke for Spurs and Fantasy managers alike.
He has scored a league-high seven goals in the last six Gameweeks and ranks joint-top of the player standings with Salah on 60 points over that period.
Son and Maddison output, GW4-9
| Player | Goals | Assists | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Son | 7 | 1 | 60 |
| Maddison | 2 | 3 | 34 |
Maddison has also impressed, scoring twice and supplying three assists.
Maddison's goal v Fulham
Come for the goal, stay for the celebration 🎯 @Madders10 🤍 pic.twitter.com/B5LFjJzbWR
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 24, 2023
The summer signing has averaged 5.7 points per match (ppm) in that period and blanked only twice, yet his 34 points is still almost half that of Son’s 60.
The underlying statistics show Son has offered far more goal threat from close range recently.
Although the pair are very similar for both shots and shots on target, Son’s 15 shots in the box is more than double the seven of Maddison.
Son and Maddison stats, GW4-9
| Player | Shots | Shots in box | Big chances | Shots on target | Key passes | Big chances created |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Son | 21 | 15 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| Maddison | 18 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 4 |
Furthermore, Son’s six big chances place joint-top among midfielders along with Salah and Mitoma.
See: FPL experts' must-haves for a Gameweek 10 Wildcard
Maddison’s numbers highlight his all-round style of play.
His 20 key passes, 18 shots and 11 shots on target all rank among the top five players in the last six Gameweeks, with the latter two totals both matching Erling Haaland (£14.0m).
See: Is Salah now a better pick than Haaland in Fantasy?
So, what should managers do?
Ultimately, Son’s move up front makes him the one Spurs attacker to hold for the coming period.
The South Korean is averaging 10ppm in his new role and the underlying statistics show he boasts a far superior goal threat to Maddison.
While Maddison should continue to tick over, his output, relative to that of Son, makes him a far easier sell.
Also in this series
Part 1: Is Salah now a better pick than Haaland in Fantasy?
Part 2: The Scout’s FPL Gameweek 10 Ones to watch
Part 3: FPL expert Gianni Buttice's Gameweek 10 Wildcard squad
Part 4: FPL experts' must-haves for a Gameweek 10 Wildcard
Part 6: The Scout’s FPL Gameweek 10 Differentials
Part 7: Who is the best budget midfielder to own in Fantasy?
Part 8: FPL experts: Who is the best budget midfielder?