The best defenders to sign for a Free Hit squad in Double Gameweek 32

That's why I've recently moved to a more budget defense. Doherty, Cathcart, Schlupp. Just took out Kane so Cathcart will likely become Jannmatt.

Interesting. What's your current draft looking like with that in mind?

Exactly my thoughts, Av got a feeling Higuain is gonna haul big, but doesn't seem to be much love for him hear.

Very interesting thanks. What you reckon on son over dsilva?

I do get your point and agree with a lot, but just to play devils advocate, 38.7% of the time this season a defensive player has been top points scorer of the gameweek. Inc the only other DGW played so far.

nice thoughts

I'm currently torn between a combo of cheapish defence + dilva or azpi lind & mili... might go for the former for the points you mentioned

Hmmm. So...which of these would you prefer?

A)

Kepa
Lindelof-Duffy-Schlupp
Sterling-Hazard-Dilva-Townsend
Aguero-Higuain-Rashford

B)
Kepa
Azpi-Smalling-Schlupp-PVA*
Sterling-Hazard-Dilva-Pogba
Aguero-Bats*

*PVA/Bats could be Dunk/Rashford

Cheers.

I agree with you & I am in exactly the same predicament you described. Currently at 700k odd when my rank in last 2 seasons have been 30k odd, so want to finish within 100k (over-ambitious maybe). The Selling Value for my team is 102.0 so I know, I won't be beating most teams man for man, the only way is to go the differential route. I see Kane, Dilva and Alli as potential differentials that can propel me. Alli is sort of a half punt where you're hedging your bets by not bringing in Kane. Dilva is a player I want to have alongside Kane, unfortunately I can't unless I get rid of Hazard or Sterling, a punt which seems too far.

I see where you're coming from, but this is all IF this and IF that. Chances of clean sheet is way more than a haul

Suppose you have jota (6.1) and I have Luiz (5.9) .

Hota starts one match and comes off the bench in second .

That's 3 points.

And my Luiz played both the match, let's just say he gets one cs and scores a goal.

That'll make 14 without bonus . 11 more than the 'attacker'

All you are saying is IFs and BUTs.

Anything and everything can happen.

I’m looking for nailed on players in both matches. That’s a way to try to maximise points as well. Ederson is pretty much guaranteed two starts. Cannot say that for any other city IMO. The ceiling is lower then attacking players sure but he could easily match either Silva as well - neither have been that explosive this year.

I would say the opposite is the case ... go for 5 premiums and Palace at the back 🙂

i don't understand your reasoning. the observation the a clean sheet an be `ruined by one random goal' is irrelevant. the fact is that chelsea and man city both have roughly 50% chance of keeping a clean sheet in each match, which means that the expected returns (and value) of the defenders from those teams that are likely to play twice is very high.

If you are chasing, this and going ultra-defence heavy are the only 2 options really. I would say though it's a bit like going into the back 9 of a major golf championship 3 shots behind and just going for the pin every hole. The usual outcome is though this guy knocks it in the water a couple of times and falls further behind while the guy leading who plays dullard to the centre of the green every hole wins.

Agreed. Everyone is getting hung up on premium defenders when the likes of CPL have HUD at home are just as likely to score as well.

I was having a lovely quiet IB, FH team done and no real tinkering, happy with what I'd created. Then you just had to go and ruin everything -4 with your logic and reasoning that utterly appeals to me! I really thought this IB was going to present no headaches of any merit, I was praying for an injury to a template player just to shake things up, but I never foresaw this as what would shake things up for me! I guess I'll be panic confirming a team at 11:29 now and hoping I don't get pangs of regret for either sticking to my guns or switching to this strategy. Well played sir!

Yeah.. but it's all about probabilities. A cleen sheet is much more possible than a Higuain's brace for example.

This is totally ignoring bonus points/attacking returns for the likes of Luiz/Laporte/Smalling/Azpil.

A couple of clean sheets is not always 12 points. One clean sheet is often a 9 pointer on its own.

And the main issue with this is that most people are expecting Giroud and Bilva/Fernandinho/KDB to get a game and so Dilva and Higuain may likely be reduced to one start. If they were likely to start both they’d be in almost everyone’s teams.

And one return isn’t necessarily 12 points. Especially if the games are going to turn out like the high scoring goal-fests you’re hoping for. One assist and a cameo could easily mean 6 points for Silva/Higuain considering 1 assist will not accrue any bonus in a high scoring game. Even a goal and a cameo could get 8/7 points in a high scoring first game.

What do you think of this one?

Foster
Schlupp, Luiz, AWB
Hazard, Sterling, Bilva, Martial
Agüero, Higuaín, Kane