Time now to do the traditional review of the Premier League’s best strikers. However, with a complete absence of domestic football this past weekend, instead we will be looking at how the strikers who featured in the England squad have been performing so far this season.
Only four out and out attackers featured across England’s 1-0 wins over Slovenia and Lithuania, so these will be the four players we will be focusing on here.
Of those strikers to pull on a Three Lions shirt to help England reach Russia next summer, Jermain Defoe has had the quietest season of the lot. He returned to former club Bournemouth in the summer after suffering relegation with Sunderland last term, and he hasn’t truly found the form he is still capable of producing so far this season.
He has made five starts, and has two sub appearances under his belt – so there has been a fair amount of game time, but yet he has yielded just four points. That isn’t a great return for a player with an 8.00m valuation, and there are forwards who represent much better value than the former Tottenham star at the moment.
His tally remains low due to being relatively quiet in games – at least in terms of producing scenarios to receive fantasy points! All four of his points came in the Cherries’ 2-1 win at home to Brighton – he scored one of the two goals in that one.
Despite that, his contribution and obvious fitness levels – especially given his age – have clearly convinced England boss Gareth Southgate that he is a worthy consideration with the World Cup looming just around the corner.
In third place, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge still has much to prove this season. Questions have been raised in recent years over his fitness level, and indeed that seems to have always stood in the way of him reaching the levels his early promise seemed to suggest.
Valued at 9.00m, he also represents underwhelming value at this stage. He’s managed just three starts as well as two sub appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side so far, and those games have given him just six points to his name. Those points are entirely from one goal in one game and an assist in another, so Sturridge will need to kick his form up a gear if he wants to remain firmly in Southgate’s plans for the World Cup.
Marcus Rashford has been the second best performing England striker at club level this season. As mentioned on the latest episode of the EuroFantasyLeague Podcast, he has really started to cement his place as a key player in the Man United squad, and has flourished under the management of Jose Mourinho. He scored on his England debut last year and has continually made a case for being one of the first names on the team sheet.
This season he has managed to earn 14 points, thanks to two goals and three assists from his seven appearances thus far. At just 5.50m he is perhaps the best value for money attacker in England’s ranks at the moment.
That means that only one man can be top of the England attacker ranks – Tottenham star Harry Kane. He captained England during their recent matches, and led by example – he scored the only goals in each of the respective 1-0 wins. While the first one was left very late – England beat Slovenia thanks to his 94th minute strike – his goal from the spot against Lithuania showed composure and coolness.
At 13.00m he isn’t the cheapest of players to get into your squad, but he is tearing up the Premier League this season as well so he may be the best bet if you are wanting a striker from Southgate’s squad in your fantasy team this season. He would certainly be England’s winner of the weekend!
So, why not take a look at revamping your strikeforce and getting your team going on Euro Fantasy League? The game features players from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Eredivisie and Ligue 1. Assemble your dream team and manage your fantasy squad to glory this season!
If you perhaps aren’t quite as familiar with the more continental leagues, then you are also able to play a Premier League-only version of the game. Fantasy Premier is a version of the EuroFantasyLeague game where you will put together your Premier League dream team and compete against others. Check it out now!
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