FPL Barometer: Giroud Leading the Gunners

FPL Barometer: Giroud Leading the Gunners

This article is part of our FPL Barometer series.

After four more midweek fixtures, all 20 Barclays Premier League clubs sit on 37 matches played and are set to wrap up the season in traditional fashion with 10 matches this Sunday. An extraordinary amount of fantasy Premier League value has come and gone this season, with the league as competitive as it ever has been, creating an exceptionally large pool of relevant names to choose from for the Super Sunday slate. With a full complement of options available, it is just as imperative to hit on higher-salary players as it is to unearth low-cost options for your squad.

RISING:

Olivier Giroud (FWD)
Giroud has started Arsenal's last four matches after coming off the bench for the better part of two months, and he has a goal to go along with two assists in the last two. The Frenchman is the only healthy out-and-out striker on the roster following Danny Welbeck's serious knee injury, and he could be in for a strong finish to the season, with his chief supplier, Mesut Ozil, likely to return for the Gunners' finale versus an Aston Villa side that were relegated weeks ago.

Anthony Martial (FWD)
Martial is closing the season quite impressively, as his midweek brace versus West Ham gave him four goals and an assist in his last three matches. Manchester United likely missed out on the Champions League, but with a European birth still up for grabs, Martial and company still have plenty of incentive to go out with a bang versus the Cherries' 19th-ranked defense.

Eden Hazard (MID)
Hazard has unquestionably been the single largest disappointment from a statistical standpoint this season when compared to last year, but he is closing out the campaign on a high note, as he has four goals in his last four matches after Wednesday's tally versus Liverpool. With Diego Costa expected to miss the final match of the season, Hazard should once again carry a heavy load versus Leicester as he looks to further impress incoming manager Antonio Conte.

FALLING:

Wes Hoolahan (MID)
Hoolahan has been one of now-relegated Norwich's best players over the course of the season, but his production has tapered off and he has failed to make it on the scoresheet since the beginning of March. Everton, this weekend's opponent, have struggled in their own right of late, but the Toffees will be keen to close the season out at home on a high note after dropping away results to Leicester and Sunderland in Matchweek 37.

Leonardo Ulloa (FWD)
Jamie Vardy returned from his red card suspension last weekend versus Everton, and it was Shinji Okazaki who got the starting nod alongside him, as usual. With Vardy firmly in the race for the Golden Boot and Okazaki having started the last six matches, it appears Ulloa will begin Sunday's match versus Chelsea on the bench once again.

Enner Valencia (FWD)
Valencia's role has diminished drastically as the season has come to its end, playing a combined 25 minutes over West Ham's last five matches. The Hammers have gone out of their way to incorporate Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini into a starting XI that already includes Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll, meaning Valencia is unlikely to play a significant role in the season finale versus Stoke.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tate McIntyre
Tate is a former RotoWire contributor. He is a former college soccer player as well as an avid supporter of Arsenal, FC Dallas and America's team: The Dallas Cowboys.
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