Pro Pundits

The case for a cheap FPL defence as premium assets continue to disappoint

Fantasy Premier League managers could find value in spending as little money on defenders as possible in the coming weeks.

With Liverpool conceding for the fourth consecutive match in Gameweek 7, and the injury to Fabinho (£5.5m) exacerbating the loss of Virgil van Dijk (£6.4m), Trent Alexander Arnold (£7.4m) and Andrew Robertson’s (£7.1m) certainly offer less Fantasy value than before.

It’s not just Liverpool who are letting the premium defenders union down though. Last season’s top six have kept just seven clean sheets combined over the first six Gameweeks (Liverpool 1, Manchester City 1, Manchester United 1, Chelsea 2, Spurs 1, Arsenal 1) so justifying ownership of their expensive defenders is proving harder and harder each week.

Using some underlying statistics in the Fantasy Football Scout Premium Members Area, I want to analyse if teams with defenders at the more budget end of the spectrum (say, up to £5.0m) can possibly provide similar returns to their more expensive counterparts at the bigger clubs. 

For the purpose of this analysis, I have used data from the last four Gameweeks:

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  1. Hart-ake
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Which one as a Trossard replacement (with 2.6 itb):

    a) Rodriguez
    b) Pulisic
    c) Bowen (and bank the 2mil+)

    1. Wag the Drog
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I’d go b

  2. sirmorbach
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Lads, hit needed or GTG?

    Ryan / Walton
    TAA / Lamptey / KWP / Dallas / Mitchell
    Salah / Son / James Rodríguez / Grealish / Harrison
    Kane / DCL / Bamford

    £0.7 in the bank, WC available

    1. Boly Would
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Looks good to me.
      Bench Lamptey, Mitchell, Harrison?

      1. sirmorbach
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Thanks, mate!

        Bench, yeah, exactly, only Harrison ahead of Lamptey as first sub.

        1. Boly Would
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Nice

  3. aardvark22
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Martinez
    Robbo, James, Saiss
    Salah, Son, Foden, Podence
    Kane, Jimi, DCL

    Soucek, Lamptey, Mitchell, Steer

    2FT and 1.3 ITB

    Reluctant to burn FT but not much inspired

    James to Chilwell too sideways?
    Mitchell to ??

    Any suggestions appreciated

  4. EL_FENOMENO
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    From GW9 onwards:
    a) Bowen/Foden
    b) C. Wilson

  5. karljkadak
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Really struggling here. Any advice or save FT?

    Martinez McCarthy
    Dallas Robertson Semedo Sakho KWP
    Salah Son Foden Barkley Traore
    Kane DCL Brewster
    1FT 0,8ITB

  6. Lexi2014
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Vinagre -> KWP
    ASM -> Foden

    For free.

    Makes a lot of sense right?!

    Ryan
    TAA / Ayling / Justin
    James Rodriguez / Son / Salah / ASM
    Werner / Ings / Brewster

    McCarthy / Mitchell / Soucek / Vinagre

  7. dillydally1982
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    I have a transfer to burn, best way to fund Grealish to Zaha next week - TAA to Chilwell/Robbo, OR Watkins to Adams/Batshuayi?

    1. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      TAA to Chilwell
      Good fixtures. Just as likely to keep with TAA next 3gw at the least.

      1. dillydally1982
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah, that's what I was leaning towards...thanks!

  8. Feed tha Sheep
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Need to sell Davies..was thinking Coufal but obviously a poor fixture this week.
    A. wait until next week and hope Mitchell plays
    B. Do Davies > Coufal this week
    C. Another player in

  9. Feanor
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Anyone else with Digne just keeping him? I can start Chilwell, Juston and Gabriel or Mitchell in defense.

  10. InterUranus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Get rid of Trent and upgrade Jimenez/Ings to Kane?

  11. villa_til_i_die
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Could I just say R.I.P Nobby stiles...Legend, v sad news.

  12. FC Hakkebøf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Got 2 FT. My plan was to do Maupay to Mitrovic as a one week punt before getting Antonio. But with the uncertainty regarding the duration of Antonio's injury, I am now considering Bamford instead. Thoughts?

  13. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Who should be first in the bench to come on for JRod?

    A. Mitchell
    B. Anguissa