West Bromwich Albion will hope to take advantage of a seemingly favourable start to 2016/17.
According to the new Fixture Difficulty Ranking (FDR) system introduced to Fantasy Premier League this season, Tony Pulis’s side register a score of two or less in five of the first seven Gameweeks.
This hands the Baggies a home encounter against Middlesbrough, in addition to trips to Crystal Palace, AFC Bournemouth, Stoke City and Sunderland.
Only visits from Everton and West Ham United are deemed less promising by the FDR during that period.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a Pulis side, West Brom’s survival in 2015/16 was based around a solid rearguard resistance.
Albion conceded just 48 times last term and were particularly strong on their travels. Six of their 11 clean sheets arrived on the road and they conceded just 22 times away from The Hawthorns.
This is particularly pertinent, bearing in mind that four of the five fixtures rated as favourable by the FDR are away.
Subsequently, investment in Pulis’s defensive regulars could pay off for FPL managers.
Ben Foster (£4.5m) averaged 3.7 points a match last term, the most of the Baggies usual back-four.
The goalkeeper’s penchant for earning save points makes him a more appealing option than Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley (both £4.5m), although Craig Dawson (£5.0m) could be worth the extra outlay.
Dawson scored four times last term and the right-back produced more attempts inside the box than any defender in the top flight.
Re-classified as a defender this term, Chris Brunt (£5.0m) is one to monitor once he recovers from a knee injury. The Northern Irishman is likely to be handed a share of dead-ball duties, which will heighten his appeal given that 12 of West Brom’s 34 goals arrived from set-plays last season.
Although their potential for clean sheets looks encouraging, the Baggies’ attack will struggle to convince FPL managers.
West Brom have scored just six times in as many pre-season fixtures, with new winger Matt Phillips (£5.5m) and Salomon Rondon (£6.5m) netting one apiece.
Although that pair seems the likeliest sources of attacking returns, history suggests it may be a wise move for FPL managers to restrict any investment to Pulis’s backline alone.
Viewing the FDR also indicates that the Baggies are braced for a trickier period from Gameweek 8, with successive clashes against Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester City and Leicester City.
Considering their schedule turns favourable again in Gameweek 12, though, strong benches may be needed for those keen to retain their West Brom assets over that tricky period.
