Fantasy Premier League Question Time is back once again to help you with your dilemmas ahead of Gameweek 11.
Managers are still reeling from the surprise benching of Andrew Robertson (£6.4m) and the absence of Marko Arnautovic (£7.0m) while some are worried about their Bournemouth assets.
All of these subjects have been put to our latest panel for discussion…
Who’s on the panel this week?
Chief #FPL Manager – This man has finished inside the top one percent six times in his career as a Fantasy manager and is one of the biggest influencers in the FPL Twitter-sphere
James Egersdorff – You can’t get much more experienced than this man when it comes to FPL. After yet another season inside the top 5,000 managers in 2017/18, James is a former leader of the Fantasy Football Scout ‘Hall of Fame’.
Lee from FPL Family – One half of the popular married couple who play FPL together and run a YouTube channel.
Question 1 – Chief
Is it KDB time? Or is Mané a better option for that slot for the next two weeks at least?
“Based solely on their game time and performances in Gameweek 10, it’s safe to say that Mané is the standout pick for now.
“The Senegal international ended a five league game drought with a much-needed brace against a beleaguered Cardiff team.
“I expect him to take advantage of Arsenal’s inconsistent defence and Fulham’s woeful backline in the weeks ahead.
“In addition, despite a brief interlude of not scoring, Mane’s six league goals since Gameweek 1 have come from only 13 shots which validates his accuracy when in front of goal.
“Of course, Salah could encroach on his Fantasy returns but if the weekend demonstrated anything it showed that they both complement each other rather well under Klopp’s current system.
“I have no doubt that De Bruyne will become a must-have again before the end of this year. He could be immune to Pep’s rotation during the busy December fixture rush by virtue of very little game-time in August.
“As tempting as it is to bring in De Bruyne against Southampton, there’s no guarantee that he will play a full match, let alone have involvement in any goals.
“If Monday night is anything to go by, he is still off the boil and lacking in match fitness.
“We may need to wait a while before we see him demonstrate the kind of form that has led him to register 60 attacking returns in just over 100 Premier League games.”
Question 2 – James Egersdorff
‘With the rotation at the weekend, what’s the consensus on Liverpool’s defence? Should we just stick to the option we have and hope for the best? Is doubling up too risky? Is Lovren an option?’
“There’s no question that a Liverpool defender is a valuable addition to any FPL squad. At the time of writing, they have the second best defensive record in the league, having kept six clean sheets and conceded only four goals.
“There’s also no question that given the intense demands on players of the League, European and Domestic Cup schedule combined with the burden of international fixtures, rotation amongst the top teams is not avoidable. It is inevitable.
“Liverpool, as with many of the top sides have the luxury of two international calibre defences; Robertson, Van Dijk, Gomez and TAA would be the first choices most people’s eyes, but Moreno, Lovren, Matip and Clyne provide a backup defence that most Premier League sides would fall over themselves to secure.
“This for me means that yes, doubling up is probably too risky. Not because of Liverpool’s lack of defensive quality but because of the unpredictability over game-time.
“Robertson and Van Dijk are sensible options for their attacking and bonus potential but FPL managers need to mitigate the risk of rotation by having regular starters amongst their subs.
“This in itself can help to rise up the rankings as rival managers overlook the rotation risk factor and carry non-playing reserves.
“Is Lovren an option? Sure, he’s a sub £5m defender playing in a great team. Will he be rotated? Absolutely.
“As a Robertson owner, was I disappointed to see him rested on Saturday? Yes. Was I surprised? No.
“However, I can take comfort in the fact that he’s now had his rest which should hopefully mean it’s somebody else’s turn to sit out next time around.”
Question 3 – FPL Family
Bournemouth and Arsenal fixtures are turning, so are the likes of Lacazette, Fraser and Wilson worth keeping?
“With Man United at home and Newcastle away next up, I’d argue that we’ve got a couple of weeks until the fixtures ‘turn’ for Bournemouth.
“I’m on Ryan Fraser and am happy to keep for those two fixtures. After that, it’s Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool in the next four, so it’s at that stage I might look to move on.
“However, Howe’s men are fifth for goals scored this season and fifth also for attempts in the box – so if I do move on ‘The Scottish Messi’, it’ll be reluctantly.
“Likewise, I’d exercise patience with Arsenal’s forwards too.
“If you have their defenders, it might be time to consider your options, but Unai Emery’s got them purring right now going forward, and they’re scoring some excellent goals.
“Aubameyang sits top for goals scored amongst forwards with seven and is second for ‘BPS per minute’ amongst those who play regularly. Only Firmino can beat him, showing that his all-round game is good for FPL.
“With three home games in the next four, I’d be reluctant to sell unless you really need to unlock some money to improve the depth or the potential of your squad.
“For all the great stats, Aubameyang, in particular, is right up there in the premium bracket at £10.8m.”
Question 4 – James Egersdorff
Is Arnautovic still a good pick following his no-show at Leicester?
“This was a really disappointing one for me having transferred Arnautovic in for Zaha ahead of Gameweek 10.
“I’d also made the very diligent move of waiting within 30 minutes of the later-than-usual 2pm deadline to press the button in the hope of catching some last minute team news.
“To then see the team sheet and find out he was absent through illness was a real surprise and a tough one to take, especially as I’d remained patient with the underperforming Zaha in previous Gameweeks.
“My experience playing FPL told me not to beat myself up too much. This sort of misfortune is unavoidable and usually evens out over a 38-week campaign.
“My experience also told me that ‘FPL Sods Law’ was bound to kick in and this was the case when Zaha bagged an assist in Crystal Palace’s match against Arsenal. In fairness, it could’ve been worse as he also hit the post early in the game!
“Assuming Arnie can recover for Gameweek 11, I still think he’s a great pick. He faces only two of the ‘big six’ in the next 14 games and both those matches come at home.
“His role is the West Ham side is pivotal to their success so this combination of key player plus great fixtures are an FPL manager’s dream.
“As we head into the hectic winter schedule, we need players with strong long term potential to allow us to focus on the inevitable injuries and suspensions that always bring challenges is this part of the season.
“Assuming Arnie can steer clear of these pitfalls, he could become a crucial FPL asset.”
Question 5 – FPL Family
Would you consider Huddersfield attacking players? They have got Fulham next and some good fixtures after that.
“I’m afraid I can’t get too excited about this one.
“Huddersfield will do well to survive in the league this year and the ‘Goals For’ column reads four. Four!
“That should tell you all you need to know about this Huddersfield side. They don’t score anywhere near enough goals.
“I appreciate Fulham are pretty bad defensively, but even they might keep a clean sheet in this one.
“I also think the return of Tom Cairney will add an element of ball control into the centre of Fulham’s midfield and help with possession retention.
“This might make life a little easier for the back four and stop wave after wave of attack coming at them.
“The Huddersfield fixtures do look great, no doubt about it, but I won’t be investing.
“If you feel you HAVE to have a Huddersfield player, try Philip Billing. A £4.5m midfield enabler, who takes the odd direct free-kick.”
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