The final international break of the year is almost over so I thought I’d take a look back at the  basic statistics and key performance indicators from GW1-12 that I tend to use when creating the watchlist and making transfers. Yesterday was the midfielders, so today it’s on to the forwards.

The Basic Stats

Goals:

1. Aguero (8)
2. Aubameyang (7)
3. Wilson, Murray, Kane (6)

Assists:

1. Wilson (7)
2. Aguero (6)
3. Jimenez (5)

Bonus Points System:

1. Aguero (308)
2. Aubameyang (254)
3. Wilson (220)

Bonus Points:

1. Aubameyang (11)
2. Kane (10)
3. Aguero, Arnautovic (9)

Sky MoM Awards:

1. Lacazete (2)

The Underlying Stats

Goal Attempts:

1. Aguero (54)
2. Mitrovic (43)
3. Kane (40)
4. Jimenez (35)
5. Ings (33)

Shots In the Box:

1. Aguero (41)
2. Wilson, Kane (31)
3. Mitrovic (30)
4. Ings (27)
5. Jimenez (25)

Shots on Target:

1. Kane (20)
2. Aguero (19)
3. Arnautovic (16)
4. Mitrovic, Jimenez, Morata (14)
5. Wilson (13)

Chances Created:

1. Aguero (19)
2. Jimenez, Wilson, Firmino (17)
3. Ings (15)
4. Arnautovic, Perez, Vietto (14)
5. Giroud, Lacazette, Zaha (13)

Big Chances Created*:

1. Wilson (7)
2. Jimenez, Deeney (4)
3. Aguero, Firmino, Vietto, Giroud, Josh King (3)
4. Ings, Arnautovic, Kane, Aubameyang, Mitrovic, Success, Iheanacho, Jesus, Vardy (6)

*defined as providing an opportunity where the receiving player would reasonably be expected to score and manages to get a shot away.

Touches in the Opposition’s Penalty Area:

1. Aguero (90)
2. Wilson (81)
3. Arnautovic (76)
4. Kane (67)
5. Lacazette (62)

Successful Tackles:

1. Firmino, Lacazette (11)
2. Vietto (8)
3. Zaha, Ings, Jimenez, Success (7)
4. Arnautovic, Joselu, Ayew (6)
5. Aguero, Deeney, Vardy, Iheanacho, Perez, Morata (5)

Successful Passes:

1. Firmino (339)
2. Aguero (251)
3. Jimenez (250)
4. Mitrovic (233)
5. Arnautovic (214)

Opinion

What’s plain to see from the stats above is just how much of a standout option Aguero has become amongst forwards. Ranking first for goals, goal attempts, shots in the box, and touches in the box; he also features heavily on the creative side. In fact, he is first in the league for total goal involvements with 14, and can only be bettered by Alonso and Hazard in terms of points. Unlike in recent seasons where he’s seen regular rotation with Gabriel Jesus, Aguero finally seems to have nailed down a starting spot under Pep too. Having been named in the lineup for all 12 league games, he’s delivered an average of 6.7 points per game thus far. That level of consistency means he’s a captaincy option most weeks, and makes him the go to striker for any fantasy manager.

The other major talking point to note is the distinct lack of other forwards from the ‘top 6’ teams amongst the stats. Rotation, poor form, and the value being provided by the strikers on ‘lesser’ teams, have rendered them as almost complete non-entities as far as inclusion in our teams go. Even multiple golden boot winner Harry Kane, whose stats have shown a glimmer of improvement in recent weeks, has struggled to impose himself as an option due to his restrictive price tag. Of course this could change in future with fixture swings and the like, but there’s just no justifiable reason to spend £12.3m when you can get comparable performances from the likes of Wilson (£6.8m) and Jimenez (£5.8) at such discount prices.

I’ve got to be honest, I can’t ever remember a season whereby the premium forwards have struggled in such a way. They have always been the main staple of my FPL side, and the focus of almost every captaincy decision; yet this season is just different somehow. Defiantly sticking by the headline acts hasn’t been working, and realising the value to be derived elsewhere has been more important than ever.

It would take a braver manager than me to do so, but there’s even an argument for losing Aguero and rolling with the likes of Wilson, Jimenez and Arnautovic for a ridiculous bargain cost of under £20m…….it is Black Friday afterall!!

All stats are per the Official FPL and Sky FF websites