As @Champ_Express won’t be releasing a podcast in advance of GW8 & 9, I’ve created a @GAFFR_io thread from myself & Jamie covering:

Best GW8 & 9 fixtures for those managers making transfers
Quickfire stats for transfer targets
Big hitter review
My GW8 predictions

Best fixtures GW8 & 9
Watford: Wyc & Bar (and beyond)
Bournemouth: Bri & Der (and beyond)
Sheffield Wed: Rot & Wyc
Birmingham: Hud & Pre (and beyond)
Forest: Lut & Mid (and beyond)
Cardiff: Der & QPR (and beyond)
Reading: Bla & Cov

The Watford defence look immense on both the eye test and sit 4th in the xGA table. They are happy to concede possession and counter with the pacey Sarr & Pedro as outballs.

Ngakia is the pick of the bunch, having started 6 of 7 games and collecting 8 performance points due to sitting very highly in the defensive action tables. One area of concern however, he is yet to register an attacking return.

At the other end, Pedro & Sarr are forming a strong partnership. Both were unlucky to miss out on hauls vs Blackburn as Pedro missed a sitter from a Sarr assist. Sarr sits in the top 10 shots per/90 on account of only starting 4 games and, both impress on the eye test.

Pedro fresh from a rest is a sure fire captain option for GW8 & 9.

Bournemouth saw King & Solanke play 60+ mins together for the first time and Solanke occupied more central poaching positions than in previous games.

Solanke has stats, form & fixtures while, King must be a wait & see: The former managed 10 goal attempts across GW6 & 7 though, the fact he was rested and then required to play 72 minutes puts him at risk of a rest vs Bristol City.

With the knock to Smith, Stacey is the go-to defender with 1G & 1A though Begovic is incredible value in the sticks. If Rico can continue to start as LWB (through Smith injury or manager preference), he would be worth the additional outlay due to his impressive underlying stats.

Potential for short term clean sheets for Sheffield Wednesday but, sadly we swerve for now! Birmingham however, have long term potential for clean sheets as is typical with Aitor Karanka management.

I own the double up (Friend & Etheridge) and, see them outperforming Reading in the long term. Except Bournemouth & Millwall, their next 10 fixtures are defensively favourable.

Reading fans will be on top of the world, as will Gaffr managers with their defenders! Sitting pretty at the top of xGA charts, I’ve seen many double & triple ups. Richards at left back is a snip and, has good defensive action stats while, Morrison site 5th highest points scorer.

Unfortunately, Reading sit stone cold last for xG & shots so, sitting tied 3rd for goals scored appears unsustainable (though I’ve been incorrectly saying this for weeks!).

Big hitter discussion
Toney: The top scorer in the game could only manage an assist against Stoke which has reduced his last 4 form average to 12.25 (still not bad!). Facing Norwich & Swansea in the next 3 will be a testing but both have struggled for clean sheets recently.

He has excellent fixtures and is pretty well essential – Coming from a non owner! Sitting top 5 for goal attempts with a 60% on target ratio (N.B. shot accuracy contributes to performance points), it’s easy to see why he is the league’s joint top scorer.

Armstrong bagged 15 points in GW6 & 7 and anyone who watched will be disappointed with those returns, he was a penalty save away from double digits in GW6. He continues to dominate the attacking stats and surely, won’t be playing at this level next season?

With excellent upcoming fixtures, he’s also essential for me! This leaves only 1 more striker spot in my ”essential” team.

Where else to look than Solanke: Second for goal attempts and, if the partnership with King allows him to continue to poach then I’m all in.

Pukki doesn’t feature on any stats tables and, having dropped deeper to the #10 position to accommodate Hugill, his stock falls again. Hugill on the other hand, sits top for goal attempts/90 from players playing over 100 minutes and with Idah now banned, looks set to start.

Ayew will surely be gathering owners however, we’ve demonstrated that the 3 striker spots are extremely important and, his teammate Lowe (playing OOP) offers better stats for goal attempts and spends more time centrally from the eye test.

J.Wallace impresses in the creativity and attacking departments, sitting top for key passes & 8th for shots. Millwall have risen from bottom to 7th in the xG table between GW3 & 6 so are in the ascendency.

Mbuemo hasn’t found his goalscoring form from last season but, has 3 assists already. A measly 31 points for 9.1m is under half of Toney’s return at the same price point. He and most midfielders are struggling to keep up with defender & forward points totals.

Bidwell hasn’t managed a goal attempt in his last 2 matches where Roberts has managed 3 and, is now a genuine alternative having taken over set pieces in the absence of Gibbs-White.

Bidwell has managed the same shots total as Lowe & Ayew from wing back so no reason to ditch yet but, Swansea’s lack of clean sheets may begin to concern owners as their fixtures have now turned sour.

GW8 predictions:
GK: Etheridge
Def: Ngakia
Mid: Knockaert
Fwd: Armstrong