Fantasy Serie A: 5 Bold Picks for Round 4

Last week, we left you with five names for Matchday 3, and things didn’t go too badly: Yeboah delivered 28.8 FPT, Kvernadze picked up 28 FPT, and Falcone managed 15.8 FPT, despite the defeat and conceding a goal. Better not go into too much detail about Valdepenas’ performance, as he was among the worst players in Fiorentina’s disaster, while Milla was given a rest ahead of the Champions League.

So, could things have gone worse? Definitely — just take a look at Admin 1’s picks in the first two matchdays! But they could also have gone better.

So let’s arm ourselves with the necessary tools — our Fixture Ticker at the top — and try to identify five interesting players, not just for this matchday but, hopefully, for the next three or four as well.

On Kickest, in fact, every transfer costs 5 penalty points. Targeting a player who is only useful in the very short term therefore makes little sense, unless you are so convinced of their potential that you believe they can immediately repay not only their own cost, but also the entire penalty generated by the transfer.

The goal, then, is to find less obvious profiles who can offer value straight away, but also have what it takes to remain in our teams over the coming weeks. Here are the five names we have selected for this matchday.

Justin Bijlow (GK – Genoa)

After recommending Wladimiro Falcone (who is also a very valid option for this matchday), we were struggling a little when it came to choosing a punt goalkeeper for this article. The choice eventually came down to two players who will actually face each other this weekend: Justin Bijlow (10cr) of Genoa and Lorenzo Palmisani of Frosinone. After a lot of thought, we went with the former.

Why? Let’s try to explain the reasoning behind the choice. Genoa currently sit on zero points after three matchdays, having lost to Napoli, Lazio and Como. However, just by looking at the teams they have faced, we can see how much of a factor the schedule has been for the Rossoblu at the start of the season. Of course, there have been difficulties, many of them also linked to a transfer strategy based on some “particular” choices: several key players were sold and replaced by young players with potential who will need time, as well as some “less young” players who need to rediscover their best form, such as Traorè and El Shaarawy.

Against Frosinone, Genoa need a display of pride and strength to reassure the environment around the club. The Gialloblu come into the game in great form, with two consecutive wins, and perhaps that could actually work in Genoa’s favour. Another important positive, after the shocking start, is the schedule — take a look at our Fixture Ticker to understand why!

Kaiki (D – Como)

The first defender of the matchday comes with a big asterisk: he is not a guaranteed starter, but Como make their Champions League debut on Thursday and, for Monday’s match against Parma, there could be an opportunity for Kaiki (12.7cr) to make his first start, giving Valle a rest after he has played every game so far.

The Brazilian left-sided player has only come off the bench so far, and he actually impressed, particularly in the match against Napoli. He has already shown glimpses of his qualities, which are certainly more offensive than defensive, and perhaps that is why Fabregas is still waiting for the right moment to start him.

The potential is there, and he could be a very nice surprise for Matchday 4. Everything depends on Como’s rotations, but we believe that, even if he does not start, he will find some playing time against Parma.

Alessio Cacciamani (M – Torino)

The first midfielder of the matchday is a young Italian talent who, fortunately, we get to enjoy in Serie A, despite attracting interest from abroad during the summer. Alessio Cacciamani (9.2cr) has made the right wing his own at Torino and has also signed a contract extension, officially keeping him at the club until 2031.

His season has started very well — so well that, at the beginning of the transfer window, Torino’s management had considered selling him to cover a €20 million gap, but in the end Njie was the one who was sold. Abate immediately made him a central part of the Granata project, and he has repaid that faith with some excellent performances. The standout one came against Sassuolo, where he collected 24.2 FPT.

Once again, we have to admit that the Fixture Ticker played a key role in this choice, as Torino are about to face Roma straight away (after their first Champions League match…), but then have a four-game mini-run in which they could pick up some important points.

Antonio Vergara (M – Napoli)

Napoli absolutely need to get back to winning ways, even if the circumstances are far from ideal following the recent injuries to Alisson and Meret in the Champions League, as well as a midfield currently missing the important presence of McTominay and Zambo Anguissa. However, it is precisely these absences that could open the door for Antonio Vergara (13.2cr).

Allegri has used him both as an attacking winger, as when he came on and scored at the Marassi against Genoa, but also as a central midfielder, as against Inter. He does not seem entirely comfortable in that area of the pitch, but he still has characteristics that could help Napoli get through this difficult moment.

Against Bologna, he is currently favoured over Gilmour (who played in the Champions League) to line up alongside Lobotka and De Bruyne. The match against the Rossoblu already represents a key moment for Napoli, but our Fixture Ticker suggests a relatively manageable run over the next four matchdays, and Vergara could find plenty of space through the rotations.

Santiago Castro (F – Roma)

After European fixtures, line-ups inevitably change in an era of five substitutions and 16 starting-calibre players. And that is even more true when you have someone like Gasperini coaching the team — an expert when it comes to turnover and rotations. So, the temptation of Santiago Castro (14.2cr) is simply too strong to resist.

After the match against Fenerbahce, Roma will face Torino on Monday. It certainly won’t be an easy game, but it could open the door (most likely) to the former Bologna striker making his first start. The Argentine has made a great impact off the bench in all three of the opening matchdays, but without scoring — partly due to a bit of bad luck, including hitting the woodwork.

Whether he starts or comes into the game later on, Castro is already a reliable option in Gasp’s rotation plans, and the coach has had plenty of positive things to say about him. We’re backing him.

That’s all for this Round. These are the five names who could prove decisive for your team — or turn out to be losing bets.

Good luck to all the Kickest Managers, and see you before Round 5!

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