Captains

Captain Sensible – Salah favourite but Liverpool underwhelm ahead of Fulham

Liverpool are expected to be heavily backed in the Gameweek 12 captaincy discussion, but they have proved underwhelming in recent weeks.

A home match against the league’s worst defence seems like the ideal time to hand one of their key players the armband, but are there other strong candidates out there?

The task of this week’s Captain Sensible article is test the theory that Liverpool’s attackers will run riot in Gameweek 12, as well as compare them with other potential captain options.

Captain Poll

Not surprisingly, Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) is already the runaway leader of the captain poll for Gameweek 12. That home match against Fulham’s defence is simply too much to resist for 49% of our voters, at time of writing.

But in reality, 68% of you have thrown your weight behind Fulham’s visit to Anfield as currently in second place is Sadio Mané (£9.8m). The Senegalese international scored a brace in his last Premier League appearance at Anfield when Cardiff were dispatched by a 4-1 scoreline.

A long way off in third place is Eden Hazard (£11.3m) with just under 7% of the vote. He played in the Europa League on Thursday night and registered a refreshingly event-free 62 minutes. A home match against Everton will be particularly appealing although the Toffees simply cannot offer the same level of defensive vulnerability as Fulham.

Marko Arnautovic (£7.1m) is once again preferred as the best of the mid-price options after his 12-point haul against Burnley (4.37%). His trip to Huddersfield Town will hold no fear for his owners, who might be inspired by the fact that our Scoutcaster Luke handed him the armband in Gameweek 11 for a 24-point haul.

The West Ham man has nearly double the backing of Sergio Aguero (£11.4m) who has just a 2.4% share of the vote thus far. That’s despite him scoring seven goals in his last eight Premier League meetings with Gameweek 11 opponents Manchester United.

Interesting options between 1% and 2% mark include Harry Kane (£12.4m), Glenn Murray (£6.5m), Jamie Vardy (£9.0m), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m), Alexandre Lacazette (£9.7m) and Raheem Sterling (£11.1m).

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of just £15.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT MEMBER

855 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Main Stand Fat Arse
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    First time post and need some help please:

    One free tfr....

    Ryan
    Alonso - Mendy - Robertson (Wan Bissaka - Doherty)
    Barkley - Richarlison - Salah - Mane - Martial
    Wilson - Aguero (Kamara)

    I know if I leave two Liverpool mids in it will be a 1-0 boring game but if I tfr out say one of them, it will be 5-0.

    Any ideas on what to do or perhaps stick?

    1. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Ofc stick

      1. Main Stand Fat Arse
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers...

    2. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      That's a team and a half. Definitely hold. Get hazard are this week

      1. Main Stand Fat Arse
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Thanks,

    3. Az
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      wow. you are gonna be in the points this week I reckon...

      1. Main Stand Fat Arse
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Fingers crossed, thanks.

  2. Concrete
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Salah Haz Rich Fraser Hojbjerg 343 442

    Or

    Mane Sterling Haz Diananga Hojbjerg 343 433

    1. Captain_Shirokov
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Second

    2. pjomara
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      a. would never have two 4.5 enablers in mid

      1. FPL Forward Thinker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        As a 4-3-3 I had Westwood and Hojbjerg as enablers: it was horrible and last two weeks as totally underwhelming much prefer 3-4-3 but... this West Ham lad might be decent if he keeps his place and gets some returns. Jury still out but he’s on my one to watch for a 4th mid.

  3. Captain_Shirokov
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Alright, two funky enough options.

    Looking at getting rid of Maddison and Mitro.

    A) Ozil + Jimenez
    or
    B) Morata + Deulofeu/Brooks

    Actually pretty tempted by both Ozil and Morata as picks for the next three weeks at least.

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Both decent an different but the one with Ozil

  4. Bruno Bruno!!
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    WC Active, any suggestions welcome

    Fabianski
    VVD Bellerin Dunk
    Brooks Salah Mane Hazard Diangana
    Arnautovic Aguero

    Patricio Jiminez Doherty Wan-Bissaka

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Salah tonSterling

      1. jiGGidyJ1
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        What a great suggestion!

    2. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Nice! Perfect set up for LIV at FUL this weekend.

      1. jtreble
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Are you shipping one of Salah or Mane once FUL is over?

        1. Bruno Bruno!!
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Salah to Sterling most likely

          1. jtreble
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Nice.

    3. LSK
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Good team. I’d personally want a City defender in place of Bellerin

  5. DrunkPhilosophy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Which WHU defender to go for?
    Diop saves you that extra 0.1, but I feel Balbuena has a goal or two in him..

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Bal

  6. efransol
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Only me thinking of maddy->pedro?

    1. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Pedro nailed?

    2. MTPockets
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Played 85 mins last night, so a risk vs Willian who didn't

      • Strchld
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Why Pedro? Willian have started last 6.

      • jiGGidyJ1
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Probably only you actually, yes

    3. Teror
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Is Maddisson's price locked from dropping now?

      1. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        no

        1. Eat my goal!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          -77 with heavy transfers out and everyone leaves moves till Fri night / sat morning

      2. MTPockets
          5 years, 5 months ago

          No, only locked if/when goes from red flag straight to no flag.

        • InSaneMan-e
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          No.

      3. drughi
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Think I'll take a hit this week to remove maddison and mitrovic, best replacement duo ?

        A. Özil and Ings
        B. Silva and Ings
        C. Kenedy and Vardy
        D. Kenedy and Morata
        E. Højbjerg and Morata/Vardy
        F. Other ideas

        1. drughi
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          anyone ?

        2. R.C
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Arnie and Anderson

        3. delux
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          wait for news for Richarlison.
          I have Mitro and Maddy and did Mitro to Arnie

          Don't like a hit for Maddy as all options are poor, will play bench

      4. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        get (and play) Diangana (keep Mitro for SOU)
        OR
        Mitro -> Murray

      5. fenixri
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        There could be a massive shift in OR if Salah and co. blank like that gw with Kane. For anyone that is chasing this is ideal moment to be differential.

        1. InSaneMan-e
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Don't have Liverpool but the converse is true.
          My rank took a massive hit from that Cardiff game

          1. Mingo
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Same for me, I only had Robertson that day and dropped 100k places from 46k. I'm taking a hit this week to make sure it doesn't happen again!

        2. MTPockets
            5 years, 5 months ago

            good luck

          • diesel001
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            I disagree. The time to go differential is when there are lots of (c) options. See next GW, for example. When there is a standout (c) it is usually best to stick with that choice.

          • jtreble
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Good one. :). Look at the ownership/captaincy data and get back to us.

          • Rupert The Horse
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Or the moment to cement your demise.

        3. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Best defender for 4.5 or less?

          1. DrunkPhilosophy
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            whu?

            1. Rupert The Horse
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Not very tight at the back though.

          2. diesel001
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Balbuena

          3. SADIO SANÉ
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Balbuena/Morgan, AWB again soon

            1. Rupert The Horse
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Looking at West Ham and they don't really get clean sheets.
              Morgan looks very short term but he looks tempting.

          4. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Yedlin or Dunk for me

          5. Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Dunk

            1. Rupert The Horse
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              He's the most likely to go in.

              1. Twisted Saltergater
                • 14 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                I'd have him as my 4th defender if I didn't own Pereira.

          6. Eat my goal!
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Yedlin or Fernandez

          7. Silecro
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Yedlin, brought me 2 cs last two weeks, and honestly i'm surprised...

          8. jtreble
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Dunk for me.

          9. Rupert The Horse
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Ok, so its going to be Dunk or Newcastle defender.
            Then got to decide whether I get rid of Maddison.

        4. Obi Wan Elokobi
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Am I crazy doing Alonso Maddison and Schurlle > Mane, Kenedy and Dunk for a -4?

          1. Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            not at all

          2. InSaneMan-e
            • 10 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Hmm. Tricky this. Actually think Alonso can score the same as mane. But I appreciate maddi is injured and shurle unlikely to get points

        5. Gudjohnsen
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Maddison dropping tonight?

          1. MTPockets
              5 years, 5 months ago

              probably

            • Saxe-Gotha
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              More than likely.

            • Shatner's Bassoon
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Fix suggests not. FPLStatistics is suggesting it's more likely. Will be close.

          2. tmduc
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Did my FT earlier & now stuck with an injured Maddison. What should I do now?

            A: Maddison -> Shaqiri -4pts
            B: Maddison -> F. Anderson -4
            C: Maddison -> Diangana - save some funds
            D: play Success

            1. manu4life99
              • 14 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Same here considering A

              1. tmduc
                • 5 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Let's do it!

            2. FleckyT
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              B

          3. manu4life99
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Maddison > Shaq (-4)?

            1. jiGGidyJ1
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Not a bad punt, Shaq will almost certainly start

              1. el polako
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Care to elaborate ? How do you know ?

            2. FleckyT
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Too risky imo. Look for a longer term replacement if you are taking a -4

            3. InSaneMan-e
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              It's good for 1 week but long term no

            4. el polako
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Not for me, Maddison should be back after IB and Leicester have kind fixtures.

              Shaqiri is far from nailed - transfer waiting to happen.

            5. jtreble
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Not for a hit. Too short-term for me.

          4. LSK
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Gtg?

            Fabianski

            Alonso Mendy Robertson Duffy

            Salah (c) Hazard Richarlison

            Aguero Wilson Arnautovic

            Hamer Kenedy Doherty Obiang

            Okay to roll transfer?

            Cheers

            1. InSaneMan-e
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Defo

            2. FleckyT
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              g2g

          5. FleckyT
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Need some feedback please (my brain is going into overdrive? 0.5itb 2ft

            Pat / Hart
            Mendy / Alonso / Robo / Doherty / AWB
            Salah / Hazard / *Maddi* / Fraser / Guendouzi
            Aguero / Wilson / Ings

            My thoughts:
            A) Maddi / Ings > Diangana / Arni
            B) Maddi > Rich
            C) Maddi > Anderson

            1. InSaneMan-e
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Don't need to go to overdrive as your team is great.
              All options are decent imo
              I'd probably lean toward b or c and roll 1 over

            2. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              guendozi to diangana and play him instead of mad and roll

            3. gibstim
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Ive gone moura as a punt

          6. Nightf0x
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Bench 1:

            A) richar
            B) success
            C) mahrez

            1. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              success

            2. InSaneMan-e
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Has to be success. Not sure if Mahrez starts because pep is going to want tracking back for martial. But keep Mahrez obviously

          7. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            1ft, 0.1m itb, WC in hand

            Fabianski
            Alonso - Mendy - Chilwell
            Salah[c] - Hazard[vc] - Richarlison - Fraser
            Aguero - Arnautovic - King

            Patricio - Doherty - Digne - Hudson-Odoi

            gtg?

            1. InSaneMan-e
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Top team. Save

            2. FleckyT
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              gtg

          8. davies
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Is Doherty > Bennett worth doing in order to have this front 6?

            Hazard Sterling Mane Martial
            Aguero Arnie

            Will be 442 with AWB/Bennett rotation...

            1. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              nope awful move with hudders cardiff nearby.Doch is a potential captain shout next week so i wouldnt entertain the idea of shipping him

              1. davies
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Would be getting the same clean sheet points if they were to happen

              2. Twisted Saltergater
                • 14 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Behave! He'd still be keeping a Wolves defender.

                1. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
                  • 6 Years
                  5 years, 5 months ago

                  Doherty is a rw who gets clean sheet points

              3. Eat my goal!
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 5 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                I kinda agree with this since Doherty is such a goal threat and they are plum fixtures

            2. Eat my goal!
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              whose the rest of the defence

              1. davies
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                RAM + AWB

                1. Eat my goal!
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 5 Years
                  5 years, 5 months ago

                  cash from Robbo is an option

                  Alonso Mendy Doherty Yedlin AWB is something I'm looking at

            3. ShaunGoater123
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              na doherty plays so far forward that he is looking consistently able to get attacking returns. Bennett is a major downgrade in my opinion

              1. davies
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Agreed but allows such a good attack, no?

          9. KUNingas
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Which one to play? RMT and FFIX says Richarlison..

            A) Richarlison (che)
            B) Martial (mci)

            1. Salah'd n Sauce
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              I think it is a 50/50 decision tbh.

              1. KUNingas
                • 8 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Yes it is, maybe just flip a coin

            2. InSaneMan-e
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Hmm. Id go rich personally. Just feel that if Everton get something he'll be involved.

              1. KUNingas
                • 8 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Thanks.

            3. jtreble
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Richarlison for me.

              1. KUNingas
                • 8 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Thanks!

          10. Salah'd n Sauce
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Can't see anything really obvious to do with this lot :-

            Foster
            Alonso / Robbo / Laporte
            Fraser / Pereya / Salah / Haa / Seri
            Arnie / Kun

            Bennett / Ings / Wan-B

            0.1 ITB and 1FT. I think I'll just stick tbh. 2 FT next week could be more useful.
            Thoughts? GTG ?

          11. Alejo - CFC
            • 10 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Maddison replacement

            A) Pedro
            B) Shaqiri
            C) Pereyra
            D) Anderson

            Cheers

            1. Salah'd n Sauce
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Love the idea of the Shaqiri punt.
              Never played mid week. Could be up for a start.

          12. Milk, 1 Šuker
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            That Maddison injury was totally out of the blue! Have drafted in Ozil as a replacement in the hope that he delivers strong returns v Wolves this GW.

          13. R.C
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 5 months ago

            Why is Aguero dropping? 😮

            1. MTPockets
                5 years, 5 months ago

                13pts just not good enough...

              • internal error
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                People selling for Success

              • InSaneMan-e
                • 10 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Thankfully makes no difference as past seasons have taught me. If kun is fit and playing you keep him

              • jtreble
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Aguero is dropping because it makes no sense - just like every other week in FPL. Shaking head.

              • Eat my goal!
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 5 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Terrified of a blank against Utd

              • delux
                • 11 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                it's good for us, let them sell him

            2. Bubz
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Wow all the big teams playing on Sunday this week

              1. el polako
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                And City.

                1. InSaneMan-e
                  • 10 Years
                  5 years, 5 months ago

                  Haha.

              2. diesel001
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Because of European commitments.

              3. kalmoffit
                • 10 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                It's going to be 5pts and 5m game rank again

            3. tmduc
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Fantasy android app is not working properly, keep loading & loading the data. Anyone having the same issue???

            4. Cruz88
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              Used my transfer to swap Maddy to Rich last night without checking news. What an idiot.

              1. InSaneMan-e
                • 10 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Not a bad transfer though...

              2. ViperStripes
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                5 years, 5 months ago

                Why is that idiotic, do you know somethign we don't about what Silva will say at 1.30pm?

                1. Cruz88
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 5 months ago

                  This is assuming he's out 🙂

            5. Igor-Stimac
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              I've used my transfer already with 0.7itb.

              Is it worth -4 to replace Maddison?

              Rich has Chelsea
              Martial has City
              Anderson, Fraser and Pereya have good fixtures this week. Worth the -4?

                1. InSaneMan-e
                  • 10 Years
                  5 years, 5 months ago

                  Haha thanks. I'm tired of replying to 3047243 maddison posts

            6. Saxe-Gotha
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 5 months ago

              My plan was to ditch Mitro this week and Maddison next week but the news has messed that plan up. I also have a problem with my 5th mid (Ward) that should probably be addressed.

              Thoughts on Maddison > Diangana (and play him) this week and then Ward > Martial next week? Assuming no more catastrophes, of course.

                1. Saxe-Gotha
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 5 months ago

                  Cheers.