Bargain option Anton Stach keeping pace with some of Dream Team’s top midfielders

UNEARTHING a hidden gem is one of the most satisfying aspects of Dream Team.

And so far this season, Anton Stach (£2.6m) fits the bill.

Dream TeamA strong start to life in the Premier League[/caption]

The Leeds midfielder is currently the joint-top performer of Gameweek 5 having banked 15 points against Wolves on Saturday, the same haul achieved by Ryan Gravenberch (£4.1m) in the Merseyside derby.

Stach’s thumping free-kick was arguably the goal of the weekend and just six minutes later he picked off a stray pass and duly fed Noah Okafor (£2.6m) for a well-deserved assist.

Dream Team managers who have been paying close attention to the season so far will not have been wholly surprised by the 26-year-old’s substantial return.

Stach’s underlying numbers are very encouraging for an asset who takes up so little budget.

Only Bruno Fernandes (£5.9m) and Jack Grealish (£3.8m) have created more chances in the top flight so far.

He also ranks in the top ten for total shots.

PAPick that out![/caption]

Factor in the fact Stach has earned tackle points in all but one of his league outings to date and the overall picture is one of an all-action midfielder who ticks a lot of the right boxes.

In pure Dream Team terms, the ex-Hoffenheim man has earned 34 points in total, a very useful return for a bargain enabler.

For context, he’s within three points of Enzo Fernandez (£4.8m), Tijani Reijnders (£4.6m) and Mohammed Kudus (£4.7m), two off the aforementioned Fernandes and Gravenberch, and just one behind Bryan Mbeumo (£5.5m).

The slim minority of gaffers who identified Stach as the cheap option of choice to balance to the books prior to Gameweek 1 have been handsomely rewarded.

A strong lad well over 6ft tall, he’s physically equipped for the demands of the Premier League and the Elland Road faithful have been impressed with his technical ability too.

One would think his height would make him an effective weapon at set-pieces but he’s the man tasked with delivering the ball more often than not.

It’s hard to see him being shifted off dead balls after his superb execution at Molineux.

That being said, Stach’s Dream Team viability is hindered by Leeds’ comparatively relaxed schedule.

AlamyDaniel Farke is solely focused on league fixtures[/caption]

Having already been eliminated from the Carabao Cup and without European commitments, they lack the double Gameweeks Dream Team bosses love to target.

However, some gaffers may be in need of a £2.6m enabler so they can afford the likes of Erling Haaland (£7.7m), Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) for what appears to be an inviting run of fixtures between international breaks for the game’s heavy hitters.

At the very least, Stach is a player to monitor.

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