This article is part of our Ball Watching series.
Is Branislav Ivanovic Still Worth Owning?
We have ranked Ivanovic first overall among defenders many times, yet Chelsea has failed to keep a clean sheet in four consecutive games and the Serbian international hasn't had any offensive production since Gameweek 3. Are we overrating him?
It's Time to Sell High on Saints Defenders
Specifically, Nathaniel Clyne and Ryan Bertrand. That is, of course, unless you feel an offensive outburst is coming. I don't, and their knack for getting clean sheets will certainly be put to the test, specifically at home. Their home fixture list is reminiscent of the stretch Aston Villa recently came off of with Manchester City, Manchester United, Everton, Chelsea, and Arsenal all on the docket. I'll tell you this much, the fans on the South Coast are getting one hell of a holiday schedule.
Newcastle Thankful in November
Newcastle are 6-0-0 in their last six November matches. I don't know what to make of that fantasy-wise other than Ayoze Perez is on form and worth considering if you're in the market for a budget forward.
Kieran Trippier = Branislav Ivanovic
When you're looking for attacking output from defenders, specifically fullbacks, you look for how many key passes they have. For example, Branislav Ivanovic has 11 key passes in as many games. You know who has the same number? Burnley's Kieran Trippier. If you listen to the Rotowire Fantasy Soccer Podcast, you know that I'm a proponent of his. The young fullback opened his attacking account with an assist this week. He's likely not going to get to 12 assists like he did last year in the Championship, but a sign of life is always good from a budget defender.
Swans Continue to Rise
Swansea are at home in three of their next four home matches (Crystal Palace, QPR, and Spurs) and all Swans options should be considered. Some personal favorites would be Lukasz Fabianski, Gylfi Sigurdsson, and Bony, with Angel Rangel on my radar. If you want to make a futures bet on someone, the Wales-based club's captain Ashley Williams has long been a transfer target of top clubs, namely Arsenal. Wouldn't shock me if he winds up there come January.
Angel di Maria is Struggling
The tactical shift to a 4-1-4-1 has not been good for Di Maria. I predicted they'd go with only one striker, but I didn't think it would affect Di Maria as much as it has (only two assists in the four games Van Gaal has used this formation). As I have previously stated, Man U is a mess, and now it looks like no options are reliable. It's really been a shame for David De Gea, as well, for he has played brilliantly this season with zero reward.
