The Ultimate Fantasy Premier League (UFPL)’s transfer window closes ahead of Gameweek 4, leaving Fantasy managers with the tough decision of which players to select before the next window opens in January. Here is a guide to making sure you get the most out of this week’s frantic UFPL transfer deadline day dash for the best players.
Unlike Fantasy Premier League (FPL), UFPL is an in-Gameweek game offering the added flexibility of selecting a large bench to swap out poor performers playing on Matchday 1 for those playing playing on Matchday 2 or Matchday 3.
Prior to the transfer window closing managers have had five transfers allocated to them each week. These can be carried over but only until the transfer deadline, which means there may be some who have 15 transfers to make ahead of the window closing. All will have at least five transfers to make.
In addition, there are extra points available in UFPL that favour defensive midfielders and centre-backs
Match Days 2 & 3
The key to a good UFPL squad selection is ensuring you include a good sprinkling of quality players that can be brought in later in the Gameweek. Here is a handy list compiled by Goonerbyron of the number of Matchday 2 and 3 games each team has. This shows that investment in Everton, Tottenham and Manchester United players could be crucial to success.
Matchday 2
8 games – Tottenham
7 games – Everton
5 games – Man Utd
4 games – Chelsea, Man City, QPR
3 games – Chelsea, West Brom, Southampton,
2 games – Aston Villa, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Hull, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sunderland, Swansea, Stoke
1 game – West Ham, Leicester
Matchday 3
1 game – Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Hull, Man Utd, Newcastle, QPR, Southampton, Stoke, Sunderland, West Brom, West Ham.
Forget Nailed On
In UFPL there is less importance to being nailed on as you have the option to swap them out if they only make a substitute appearance or fail to play. This makes ‘flair’ players who aren’t nailed on, who play mainly on Matchday 1 and are capable of large scores being good options in UFPL. Andre Schurlle could be a good pick based on this criteria.
Goalkeepers Get Added Points
There’s more to scoring points in goal than just cleanies and saves in UFPL. Additional points are received for Recoveries and it’s worth noting that Swansea’s Lucasz Fabianski is the only one to receive two recovery points in one game.
Centre-backs are King
Looking at the scoring so far it’s fairly clear already that in UFPL centre-backs rather than the wing-backs or full-backs are king when it comes to scoring additional points. As well as points for Rcoveries points are also available for Clearances, Blocks and Interceptions (CBI), a criteria that favours centre backs. That makes the likes of Curtis Davies, Laurent Koscielny, Dejan Lovren, Per Mertesacker and Ryan Shawcross very attractive. Interestingly, Arsenal’s Calum Chambers is the only player to have received bonus points in each game for recoveries. However, numerous players have received additional points each game for CBI and several have received two points in a game on one occasion. Leicester’s Wes Morgan looks a great option in the budget defender category.
Other notable candidates among centre-backs are those from the above list of teams with multiple Matchday 2 and 3 fixtures. This includes Everton’s Phil Jagielka, QPR’s Steven Caulker and Manchester United’s Phil Jones.
Having a good mix is key, though. While centre-backs are more likely to bag additional points, the goal and assist potential of attacking full-backs shouldn’t be overlooked. There will always be a good case to select the likes of Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne and Arsenal’s Mathieu Debuchy.
Dismiss ball-winners at your peril
Take a bow Fabrice Mulumbu who sits in the top five in both CBI and recoveries after three games. Another with similar appeal is Mile Jedinak. These players may not grab the headlines in FPL, but in UFPL they can be a steady source of points thanks to the additional CBI points on offer. Another in this category of note is West Ham’s Mark Noble, as he also has penalties to his name. Hull’s Tom Huddlestone is another high performer in this category and was one of the surprise stars of the UFPL Beta test version last season.
Attacking Punts Can Pay Off
It can take time for players to bed into new teams and formations after the real-life transfer window has closed. In UFPL with the in-Gameweek changes there is the luxury to take a punt on new players like Southampton’s Dusan Tadic and hope they become integral to their side. Personally I expect big things in UFPL in midfield from the likes of Newcastle’s Remy Cabella and Tadic, even though neither have racked up enough points or created enough chances to to date to suggest this will be the case. The same goes for Tottenham’s Eric Lamela who will look to bounce back from a terrible first season in England.
Differentials can also be gold in UFPL. Everyone will have Raheem Sterling but the well established likes of Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla, Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen, Manchester City’s Kevin Mirallas and Manchester City’s Samir Nasri offer great differentials, especially considering that additional bonus points can also be achieved for crosses, key passes and big chances created. Even if the players around them don’t convert those passes into assists they will still be racking up the points.
The same goes for cheaper forward differentials. Hull’s Nikica Jelavic and Arsenal’s new recruit Danny Welbeck offer the potential to match the points offered by more popular choices such as Diego Costa and Wayne Rooney.
Further information: Gavigan, who won last year’s Beta version of UFPL has posted his guide to the game here, in addition to this article on squad selection. Both give a good run-down on the rules of the game.
