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Top 5 Career Hall Of Fame – Gameweek 7 Review

In Gameweek 7 current Live Hall of Fame leader Jay Egersdorff became the first of our elite quintet to finally break into the top 100k this season.

It has been an inauspicious start for this group but there are signs that others in this stellar group are also starting to turn it around.

Peter Kouwenberg (aka My Pretty Pony) returned to the top 1m after a Gameweek 5 low of 1,573,948 and Matthew Jones (aka Numb) continues his surge up the rankings. After narrowly avoiding a rank over 3m in Gameweek 5, Matthew’s 141 points in the past two Gameweeks means he finds himself at 1,736,803, although he remains the lowest ranked of our Top Five HoF managers.

This article focuses on the moves and strategies employed by the five elite managers who grace the upper echelons of this site’s Career Hall of Fame. Between them these managers have achieved nine top 1,000 finishes in the past three seasons and have ended up in the top 10,000 a whopping 37 times over the course of their FPL careers.

To help out I have also deployed Fusen’s FPL Statistico tool to gain an extra insight into their thinking.

Points and Rank

ManagerPeterGraemeJayMatthewMark
GW7 points6666756149
Total points396377432365375
FPL rank629,0171,270,54772,7131,736,8031,335,671
FPL ID3629834517557497282370

Mark Sutherns (aka Mark) was the only Top Five manager to receive a red arrow, his third since wildcarding in Gameweek 3. As discussed on this week’s Scoutcast a failure to invest at the back when deploying this chip has cost him dearly, as he missed out on points hauls from pricier rearguard selections such as Ben Davies, who netted 16 points in Gameweek 7. Mark’s midfield assets also let him down as he finished Gameweek 7 with a below average 49 points.

Graeme Sumner (aka Gregor) was the only other Top Five manager not to own Ben Davies, although he wisely has invested at the back and benefitted from an 11-point haul from Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin, as he continues his ascent up the rankings.

Jay had his three defenders to thank for 28 of his 75 points. Clean sheets for Arsenal and Manchester City meant Sead Kolasinac and Kyle Walker picked up 12 points between them in addition to the 16 points from Davies. Patience in the Spurs left wing back, who was benched in Gameweek 5 and only delivered a point in Gameweek 6, was well rewarded.

Alli remains the preferred Spurs midfield asset among our elite managers. His Champions League ban should mean he is guaranteed Premier League pitch time, as the first Champions League match he will be available for is the home tie against Real Madrid on 1 November.

Captain

The armband decision was split between Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku. It was a tough call to make and despite having fewer big chances in his match against the Terriers it was Harry Kane who triumphed in his head-to-head against United’s number 9.

ManagerPeterGraemeJayMatthewMarkAve. (c) pointsAs % of score
GW (c) Points12262612121827
Total (c) Points9210210696969825

Backing the right horse this week were Graeme and Jay, meaning they picked up an extra seven points over their rivals. Kane and Lukaku both have 100% ownership in the Top Five.

So far this season four different players have been handed the armband by our Top Five. Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku is the most popular having been chosen 46% of the time, followed by Kane on 37%.

Despite Gameweek 7’s disappointment Lukaku has proved the more reliable choice averaging a 15.7 point return when chosen as captain compared to Kane’s 10.6 points.

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette have both been chosen 9% of the time, averaging 22 and 12 points respectively. This information is displayed in the graphic below:

This week with Kane at home to Bournemouth and Lukaku away to Liverpool the decision would seem more clear-cut. It would be surprising if the Tottenham man wasn’t given the armband despite The Cherries improving defensively and the ‘Wembley factor’.

Transfers Gameweek 7

ManagerPeterGraemeJayMatthewMark
Players InLukakuMorataLukaku, Walker
Players OutAgueroAgueroAguero, Mendy

Having been the most popular transfer in for Gameweek 6, Aguero was popular transfer out in Gameweek 7.

It was a question of dealing with injuries for our Top Five, which saw Jay take a hit to remove City pair Aguero and Mendy and replace them with teammate Walker and United’s Lukaku.

Graeme will be cursing his luck that his replacement – Chelsea’s Alvaro Morata – went off with a hamstring injury. Graeme was quick to make a transfer and there’s every chance Chelsea’s new Spaniard has already been replaced with Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.

Perhaps having not gone for City cover in the shape of Gabriel Jesus, there’s a possibility that Graeme has used his second transfer to upgrade Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey to Raheem Sterling. This is pure guesswork however.

Graeme is so far the only manager to make a transfer.

Mark, having saved his transfer in Gameweek 7, revealed on the Scoutcast that he is likely to bring in Vardy and Sterling as well.

By switching Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino to Vardy, Mark feels he is still keeping flexibility – Vardy can be easily downgraded to a cheaper third striker (Newcastle’s Joselu perhaps?) should he wish to shift funds into midfield.

With potentially explosive players like Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez getting more game time, the possibility of moving funds away from a premium forward line is a consideration.

TRANSFER SUCCESS

ManagerPeterGraemeJayMatthewMarkAverage
GW7 Transfers112001
GW7 Points Hits004001
GW7 Immediate Points Gained from Transfers12112005
Minus Points Hits1218004

By handing Romelu Lukaku the captain’s armband Peter earned the most immediate transfer points when taking hits into account.

ManagerPeterGraemeJayMatthewMarkAverage
Total Transfers776456
Total Points Hits884446
Total Immediate Points Gained from Transfers172639-23112
Minus Points Hits91835-27-36
£ Value (GW7)100.8101.3101.0101.2101.7101.2
Total Benched Points476758324650

The poor start to the season is reflected in the relatively low points gained from immediate transfers. In fact Matthew and Mark, who both saved a transfer this week, have negative points totals. As we discovered in a community article this week – sometimes doing nothing can be more fruitful.

Template – Gameweek 7

Players in Bold are in three teams or more

Elliot, Foster / Krul

Naughton, Cédric, Davies, Jones, Mee

Salah, Alli, Carroll, Mkhitaryan / Silva / Ramsey / Ritchie / Loftus-Cheek

Kane, Lukaku, Firmino

Players – Gameweek 7

Players in 5 teamsKane, Lukaku, Elliot
Players in 4 teamsSalah, Naughton
Players in 3 teamsFirmino, Alli, Carroll, Jones, Mee, Cédric, Davies
Magic Beans*Carroll x3, Ritchie x2, Loftus-Cheek x2, Chalobah x2, Calvert-Lewin, Choupo-Moting, Brady, Gross

*aka – attacking players 6m and under

Average Cost Per Player

*based on GW1 prices

Goalkeeper – £4.2m

Defender – £5.0m

Midfielder – £6.8m

Forward – £10.7m

There is not much change to our template this week. Roberto Firmino would seem set to leave at least Mark’s team. Kane and Lukaku’s presence means that funds are heavily invested in forward lines.

There’s no consensus in midfield in either the mid-price category or cheap enablers (magic beans!). Demonstrating that we are perhaps still waiting for truly consistent options to emerge.

Formation

ManagerPeterGraemeJayMatthewMark
GW Formation4-3-34-3-33-4-33-4-34-3-3

In terms of formation 4-3-3 was the most popular this week. So far this season it has been chosen 26% of the time with 3-4-3 proving the default option on 71%.

Those managers with two 4.5m mids (Graeme, Matthew, and Mark) look set to alternate between 3-4-3 and 4-3-3 depending on who has the better fixture between fourth defender and fourth midfielder.

This week Peter played 4-3-3 benching his injured 4.5m mid (Chalobah) along with Burnley’s Robbie Brady, favouring the Burnley midfielder’s defensive teammate Ben Mee away against an out-of-sorts Everton. This turned out to be the correct decision with Mee earning seven points to Brady’s three.

A Sky Blue Gameweek 8?

We are very lucky this year with how much our Top Five contribute to community conversation about Fantasy Football.

Mark obviously makes a living from FPL and is very open about his thought processes.

Peter now contributes to various articles on this site, sharing his thoughts on the week’s events.

Graeme and Matthew are site regulars with well over 10 pages of comment history each each month, and Jay regularly shares his thoughts via his Twitter account.

Based on their comments so far Manchester City assets seem very much at the forefront of their thoughts this week – having scored 17 goals in the last four Gameweeks that comes as no surprise.

But there are inevitably some doubts.

How will players like Gabriel Jesus and Nicolas Otamendi perform after the international break, having played 180 minutes each, endured long haul flights and only arrived back in the UK on Thursday?

Will Aguero make a miraculous recovery and how will that affect the pitch time of players like Jesus, Sterling, or Leroy Sané?

Currently David Silva is the only City attacking asset owned by our Top Five (by Jay and Matthew) but with City’s next three fixtures at home to Stoke and Burnley, followed by West Brom away, it may not be long before this elite group’s XIs are dominated by Pep Guardiola’s troops.

TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

44 Comments Post a Comment
  1. J0E
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Thanks for this. I think you are right to assume that Man City assets are in their thoughts. Think Silva and Sterling especially will be popular, although they may swerve Jesus for now. This could mean that unlike many of this week's wildcarders they will still have Lukaku. A goal or two from the Belgian at Anfield and this lot could have the edge on us plebs once again.

    1. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Yeah, but how is your WC going Jonty?

      1. J0E
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Full of Man City players 🙂

        Maguire latest in. Last issue is whether I get Cedric in or nonplaying Mbemba with 1.0 left over in case I decide to get Aguero in for Jesus next week.

        Will probably not be so cautious though - besides do like the look of Morata instead.

        So many good players! So few spaces!

        1. Geoff
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
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          • 11 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          Likely a triple up for me too 🙂 and a Spurs double, no Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, or United.

          I think Mbemba is a mistake; I toyed with it but (particularly with a few risks in my side) I want my bench to be decently nailed. Too bad Cedric is likely not dropping but he's in my side.

          My big regret is no Sanchez and no Hazard but that will have to be!

          1. J0E
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            6 years, 5 months ago

            Yep - Sou look set for a few CS I think. Shame to miss out.

            Good luck.

            1. Desperately Seeking Dusan
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              6 years, 5 months ago

              I don’t know why you wouldn’t go with Cedric Jonty (if it’s a choice between him and Maguire). He can’t go to Daniels very nicely in GW12 when fixtures turn. I like Maguire but Leicester’s fixtures aren’t THAT good despite his attacking threat. But in my case he will be coming up against some of my attacking assets too which I hate.

        2. Pooodle
          • 14 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          I'd be tempted to go for Cedric rather than keeping money in the bank. It's only 1 further transfer after all.

          Plus if for example Aguero doesn't start this weekend (as expected) but then starts in the CL midweek, you'd bet that Jesus starts again in the PL so probably happy keeping him for a couple of weeks.

          1. J0E
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            6 years, 5 months ago

            Yep. Agree. Cedric was my original plan that I've stuck to all fortnight for a reason. Makes sense. Also he can become Daniels in a few gwks.

            1. Geoff
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 11 Years
              6 years, 5 months ago

              This is my plan

            2. Pooodle
              • 14 Years
              6 years, 5 months ago

              I wildcarded last week and brought in Mbemba so can recommend staying away from him...! Also have Cedric though.

        3. TopMarx
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 11 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          Hope your wildcard goes well, if only to save you from Mark exacting revenge in the Scoutcast! As long as you don't pick any 80s singer/songwriters I'm sure you'll be fine 😉

          1. J0E
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
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            • 14 Years
            6 years, 5 months ago

            Ha, I had about 20 weeks of awful scores and a wildcard that was even worse than Mark's last season so am well prepared.

    2. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
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      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Lukaku also has the tasty looking fixture against Huddersfield in GW9, he could be one to punish Wildcarders, especially if he can turn 'expected' goals into actual goals.

      1. J0E
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Yep - that's the one I fear. But I wonder if Morata or even Kane v THAT away Liv defence may do better.

        1. Pooodle
          • 14 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          For me it was the ownership and price that meant I was always going to keep Lukaku. Selling him for 11.6 now, and you'll definitely want him back in a few weeks when he could easily still cost 11.8 if he keeps ticking over or even higher if he keeps scoring.

          I think if a fit Aguero or Morata were available it would have been easier to remove Lukaku, but with doubts over both of them and Jesus it leaves a nice Lukaku-shaped hole next to Kane.

        2. TopMarx
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
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          • 11 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          Although it's a long time (2012) since Spurs beat Liverpool, and it's only in the last two seasons we've managed to get home draws against them. Before that we were losing 3-0 and 5-0! Even Alberto Moreno scored in one match! They always seem to put on a performance when they play Spurs.

          Plus Liverpool have added Salah who destroyed the Spurs defence when playing for Basel.

          But, yes, Kane is in the best form of his life and should do well against THAT away Liv defence.

          Morata should be a great option when he is over his hamstring injury.

          GW10 of course sees Man United play Spurs, not a great week to own both Lukaku and Kane, I wonder if that's when we could see Mark shift funds into midfield...

  2. Always (C)ane
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Front 8,

    Erik Salah Ramsey RLC TC
    Kane Lukaku Firmino

    2 FT, 0.5 itb.

    Which one?

    A. Firmino -> Vardy

    B. Lukaku Firmino -> Jesus Vardy

    C. Salah Firmino -> Sterling/Silva Vardy

    D. Ramsey Firmino -> 5.5mid Jesus

    E. Lukaku Firmino Ramsey -> Jesus Vardy Silva/Sterling (-4)

    F. Other options??

    1. J0E
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      best post on the main article. Community articles threads tend to stick to the topic of the article.

  3. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Excellent bit of analysis. You can really tell a lot of effort has gone into this.

    One day I will be prodded and probed in this article .... Andy then I will know I have made it 🙂

    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Thank you!

      I look forward to prodding and probing you one day... that sounds very wrong, I apologise.

      At the moment Mr Pukka - Geoff and the real TM are closest to entering the Top Five, long way to go but after finishing 49th and 193rd last season they must be in with a chance.

  4. L S P
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Top work TopMarx per usual.

    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
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      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      thank you

  5. Pooodle
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    It's crazy that after 7 gameweeks two of the top five managers of all time have actually made their teams worse through their weekly transfers...!

    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      it is only a guide really, people tend to make transfers with more than one gameweek in mind. Also on the FPL Stastico site, which I use to get all the data, captain points are included in 'transfers in' (obviously a transferred out player will never have their points doubled), as are benched points. For instance you might get a player in on a wildcard who is benched, those points count towards your total. Although of course a transferred out player would never be benched so it sort of evens out on that front.

      All in all it is an interesting guide, it's still important to get points from your players as soon as you transfer them in.

      What's not measured though is when a manager show patience. For instance instead of transferring out an under-performing player holding onto him for another week just as he finds form. Equally as important as making the right transfer.

  6. Numb
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Help! I'm being stalked by TopMarx! 😆

    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      hahahahahahahaha 🙂 it's kind of sad but at least FPL Virgin is jealous.

      1. Numb
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Makes it all worthwhile. Good article!

  7. racerx
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Are any of the top HOF playing Elliot/Krul?

    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Matthew and Mark currently on Elliot/Krul

      1. racerx
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        thanks, interesting... is the thought process that Krul will come in to play or just cash to deploy elsewhere?

        1. Numb
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          More about the cash and a slight hope he could come in if Ryan has a bad game or two.

      2. TopMarx
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        i think both got him on WC as he moved to Brighton presumably expecting him to start. Although Mark said he would be selecting Elliot for the time being anyway so it didn't matter too much.

        Matthew I don't know but you could always ask him (he is Numb above).

  8. racerx
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Thanks NUMB & TOPMARX. Ryan seems to be holding on the the gig for now, right?... Krul, of course, would be gold if he could steal the spot. I'm on WC with Fab/Elliot, but pondering what I could do with Elliot & the .5... I think I'll monitor the situation for now.

    1. Numb
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Yep, no sign of Ryan being dropped afaik

  9. Sandy Ravage
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Liv 1-0 Man U would be a great result for me this gw

  10. electrue
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Really enjoying these updates. Thanks Тopmarx.

  11. Gregor
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Excellent read as always, chief.
    The stalking skills were a bit off though as it was actually Jesus I got in for Morata early doors. You are right about Ramsey to Sterling though.
    I would actually have been very tempted to captain Sterling this week but the amazing healing skills of Mr Aguero have probably put too much doubt on that now so looks like I'll be going with Kane again.

    1. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Dammit.

    2. Kalou
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Unlucky mate!
      Tempted to do it this week with him going off at 70 mins?

      1. Gregor
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Absolutely.

    3. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Excellent moves last week! Well done sir, sorry for my extremely slow reply!

  12. MyPrettyPony
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Morning, TM. Sorry being so quiet. Had my brother's stag do and then a couple of runs last weekend and still busy with my new job.

    I missed all the price changes this week or probably would have just gone Vardy in for Firmino. As it is, if I do take a hit City will probably be involved, but I'm not sure yet.

    Unhelpful, eh? Although it's not a season to follow my lead anyway!

    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      I'm sorry for my slow reply, I'm fairly busy and before I know it it's suddenly the end of the week! I don't mean to be rude.

      Hope you had a great time on brother's stag do, and good that you are finding time to keep fit. I'm feeling rather guilty as I should be doing more.

      Your moves are always instructive, and there's a long way to go yet in this season. I feel there are less points separating players this year and I'm hoping one really good week will propel me up the table (I'm 6 points behind you).

      Also I'm really enjoying your opinion articles on the site, it's great to hear thoughts.

      Best of luck this week! I'm hoping Choupo puts on his scoring boots, he could be a nice little differential.

  13. FC Lackless [BALEGIUM]
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Still my favourite article TM ... keep up the good work!