This is the 2014/15 Optimal Dead Team Squad. I have ignored 2015/16 because of Leicester's exploits.

Pantilimon (4.5m, 123)
Ivanovic (7.0m, 179) – Terry 6.5m, 177) – Clyne (5.0m, 142)
Hazard (10.0m, 233) – Sanchez (10.5m, 207) – Silva (9.0m, 191) – Sigurdsson (6.0m, 154)
Aguero(C) (12.0, 216*2) – Kane(V) (5.0m, 191 + 48) – Austin (6.0m, 176)
Heaton (4.5m, 50) – Bertrand (5.0m, 87) – Bellerin (4.5m, 28) – Boyd (4.5m, 33)

Translate this into 2016/17 now we are a quarter of the way through the season. This indicates:

2 x cheap GK: Heaton / Grant / Pickford etc.
3 x premium defenders: Kosc, Alonso, Walker, Blind etc
2 x cheap defenders: Smith, Gibson, McAuley, Holebas etc
3 x premium midfielders / forwards: Aguero, Costa, Sanchez, De Bruyne, Hazard etc.
1 x medium midfielder / forward: Walcott, Coutinho, Lukaku, etc
4 x cheap midfielder / forward: Allen, Capoue, Redmond, Austin, Chadli etc.

There is a difference this season. The premium midfielders / forwards are more expensive than in prior years (e.g. Aguero is over £1m more expensive). However, to balance that the premium defenders are cheaper. So if you were looking at an ODTS now how about something like:

Heaton - Grant
Koscielny - Alonso - Blind - Holebas - Smith
Coutinho - Walcott - De Bruyne - Son - Fletcher
Lukaku - Costa - Austin

This covers all the big teams (Man C, Man U, Ars, Liv, Che, Eve, Sot, Tot). The absence of Aguero is notable however there is no equivalent of Harry Kane (a cheap forward who scores heavily) so far this season and so you need to ask whether Costa / Hazard / De Bruyne etc are better value. IMO yes because Costa / Hazard have no European football and so should play the overwhelming majority of PL games and be relatively fresh whilst Aguero may be rested / rotated. That should mean their output is close to Aguero despite being £3m+ cheaper in price.

One of the other things to notice is that after 10 games of the season the premium defenders still offer good value despite their higher price than other defenders. The other key area to stress is the lack of European football for Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and a lesser focus on the Europa League by Man U which may serve their players well later in the season.

So what do you think?