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Which Wolves players should FPL managers buy for the GW31 fixture swing?

Wolverhampton Wanderers sit top of our Season Ticker over the next six Gameweeks when clubs are sorted by ease of fixture.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have to negotiate a tricky test against high-flying West Ham United immediately after the international break but five successive matches against teams in the bottom half of the Premier League then follow.

For Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers who place fixture difficulty high up the priority list when considering a player, then there is arguably no better run of matches from Gameweeks 31-35.

So for the FPL bosses on a Gameweek 30/31 Wildcard or those simply looking at players to bring in with their free transfers, we’ll take a look at the Wolves assets to consider.

THE FORM

Above: Wolves’ last ten Premier League matches (source: Wikipedia)

After a fairly dismal run through December and January, when they won only one of their 11 Premier League matches, Wolves’ form has picked up over the last two months.

Their only two defeats in February and March have come at the hands of Manchester City and Liverpool.

In their other six matches from Gameweek 22 onwards, Santo’s troops have kept three clean sheets and conceded on just three occasions.

Goalscoring remains an ongoing issue: seven goals in their last 10 top-flight matches is this shot-shy season in microcosm.

Motivation for the run-in is the great unknown, given that Wolves are comfortably mid-table. Take last season, after lockdown: for every ‘on the beach’ side like Crystal Palace, there is a Southampton team who are seemingly liberated by the lack of pressure.

GAMEWEEK 20 ONWARDS: DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS


95 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Nanoelektronicar
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I was hoping for the Big Numbers, but this will make good read too 🙂

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      We'll get a Big Numbers done for you over the next week!

      1. Skonto Rigga
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        (he says, about to take five days off)

  2. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I will get Coady for sure in my gw31 WC and I am considering Neto as well but there are so many options for those mid spots: Son/Bale, Mount/Havertz, Jlingard, Raphinha, Gundo, Jota, Soucek. If you have Bruno and Kdb it´s difficult to choose 3 of those.

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yup, the more dangerous Lingard and Raphinha available for similar money does lessen the appeal of Neto.

  3. A-L
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    On paper the fixtures look great but taking those attacking and defensive notes into account and that Wolves have very little to play for, while some of the relegation fighters will have something to play for, I feel like we won't see a lot of yield from the Wolves options

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yeah I'm not expecting to be blown away. They've always been a bit like that, haven't they? Had a reputation as big-game players when they first came up and so often flattered to deceive when we targeted their good fixtures. Coady at £4.8m is low risk and you'd hope for at least a couple of clean sheets, but I'm not 100% sold on anyone beyond that. It's the players around Neto that worry me, rather than him himself.

      1. A-L
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Yeah I agree with this. I think it comes down to alternative options as I do have Coady & Saiss on the watchlist for a WC but there are quite a lot of midfield options that it's difficult to find a spot for Neto for me. For defence though, Dias, Shaw, a Chelsea pick and Nat Phillips are pretty nailed on my WC so there is a potential space open

  4. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Good fixtures or not, there is just no room for Wolves players!

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      They’re not good options, unless you go for a defender who you have to hope will keep a CS, otherwise they won’t get you any attacking returns.

  5. TheBiffas
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    coady/saiss over a man city defender on WC? was thinking shaw, coady, rudiger, tierney and phillips.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Rather keep Stones, in all honesty.

  6. McPollolocco
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    My defense:

    Cancelo, Digne, Targett, Coufal, Tierney.

    is it worth trading one of these players away for Rüdiger or anyone else from Chelsea?

    1. Tired and weary
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I would swap any one of those for Rüdiger.

  7. Sharkytect
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    So....don't bother with wolves players.

  8. fpork
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    For a one-week punt, which player would you get on a FT?

    Pope (Fabianski)
    Dallas, Targett, Reguilón (Dias) (Dunk)
    Salah, Grealish, Son, Raphinha (Lookman)
    Calvert-Lewin, Bamford, Kane

    1. A-L
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Alonso

    2. gonzalocampos
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      One week punt Alonso vs West Brom.

  9. skooldaze
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Stupid question, but why are people talking about using their WC in GW 31 rather than GW30

    1. fpork
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Because teams like Leeds, Spurs, Villa have good fixtures in GW 30 and most people have a bunch of them in their teams after BGW29.

      1. skooldaze
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Great - that's what I thought but in case I was missing some blanks or DW

      2. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I agree with that, as well as fixing confirmed fixtures for GW32.

        I do think it’s time to shift city defenders ex dias

  10. How valid is the 'something to play for' hypothesis in practice?
    Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Has anyone ever demonstrated the 'something to play for' hypothesis or is it just a widely accepted assumption at this point?

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Also the very closely related 'On The Beach' Hypothesis?

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        🙂

        Just going by here neither hypothesis may quite add up. Looks like fairly normal variance to me

        https://www.soccerstats.com/latest.asp?league=england_2020

        This is just by eye and ignoring fixtures. Last season

        At the top

        Leicester flopped
        Liverpool were below par
        Spurs picked up
        Arsenal were Arsenal

        In the middle - beached

        Palace fell off a cliff Newcastle just off a tall building
        Southampton Burnley Everton all did better than their season average

        At the bottom

        West Ham and Villa picked up

        1. pingissimus
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          The 18/19 table is a bit startling in the run in

          The teams that did best compared to their season average if I'm reading it right are the beached middle teams typically. Much the same seems to apply in 2017/18.

          https://www.soccerstats.com/latest.asp?league=england_2019
          https://www.soccerstats.com/latest.asp?league=england_2018

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Thinking about it a little those two seasons are bit different to the current one.

            The relegation battle was all to play for coming into the last 8. Teams that finished around 12/13th were still in danger when the run in began. It was a real logjam towards the bottom.

            The same could apply this time if both Fulham and Newcastle pick up and put Southampton in serious danger. But we're not I think comparing like with like in those seasons anyway.

        2. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Are you talking about results or other stats? I'm not sure how to use that website.

          But in general, I would agree that the hypotheses seem flimsy at best. Not very predictive so not very useful. Certainly when compared to all the other ways we can make predictions, like watching the games to see if teams are playing well.

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            I'm just looking at points per game in last 8 compared to their season average. A blunt instrument clearly and I may well be misreading it of course.

        3. FPL Theorist
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Also City players returned a lot of points despite having nothing to play for in the league.

          And Bournemouth were at the top of our whipping boys list, and then almost saved themselves. While Watford looked like staying up for a while, and then lost their last two and went down.

          In 2018-19 you had Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, and United in 3rd-6th all looking like they were doing everything possible to avoid finishing top 4.

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            "Also City players returned a lot of points despite having nothing to play for in the league."

            FPL is slightly different isn't it. It's the players and not the team.

    2. ritzyd
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      There was some research or an article from a few years ago but i can't find it on google now. Basically there is a mild improvement in results of those teams with something to play for with the improvement being more pronounced at the bottom end of the table rather than the top.

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Cheers Ritzyd. Would love to read it if you stumble across it again

          1. My heart goes Salalalalah
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Deulo, here comes the aeroplane. Open wide... 😉

          2. Deulofail
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Thanks! I'm going to read them properly later, as there are some things there to get my head around. But the classification of teams that have 'nothing to play for' already seems quite suspect to me.

            1. Skonto Rigga
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 6 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              There's so much other than league position in play, too. Players gunning for a new contract/move away/spot in a national team squad, club involvement in other competitions etc.

              1. Skonto Rigga
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Plus good old fashioned fixture difficulty, easy to say a team is 'on the beach' if they've lost a succession of games but if they're up against a City or a Chelsea during that run they may well have lost the match anyway, regardless of drive or a lack thereof.

                1. pingissimus
                  • 5 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Very true that

                  For instance Palace results look more than appalling last season for instance in the run in. But they were barely able to field 11 at times and faced Liverpool Leicester United Chelsea and Spurs. The "winnable" games were Wolves Burnley and a hyper motivated Villa - two of which were away anyway.

                  1. Deulofail
                    • 8 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    The author thinks that this issue is 'mostly alleviated' but the random sampling. It seems to me that the 10,000 trial operates as way to artificially increase the significance, but that's more likely because I haven't understood it yet, as a non-statistician.

                    "One potential confounding factor at play here is that teams reach safety by playing easier matches earlier and thus there is selection bias in their final matches by playing against the top teams. However, by sampling random consecutive sets of matches, this issue should be mostly alleviated."

                    I would say, though, that if it's significant, it's significant. The only questions we can ask are whether the method was flawed and the interpretation/potential application valid. The fact that individuals in a team might be fighting for a place (and a ton of other contributing factors at play) makes the hypothesis less likely to be significant, so in a way, more interesting that the results ARE significant. And confounding factors basically just tell us that 'nothing to play for' is the wrong label for this group, and that the group isn't necessary a natural class (occuring from the data). Rather a predetermined abstract group (cookie-cut from the top-down by human biases). Nonetheless, significance is significance imho 😀

                    1. Pep bites Kun
                      • 7 Years
                      2 years, 11 months ago

                      +1 Enjoyable thread (agree with the hulk). I like reading your posts even if I don't agree with them all the time 🙂

                      There's always food for thought.

          3. HuttonDressedasLahm
            • 14 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Nice!

    3. RedLightning
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      A note that I made after during or after the 2015/16 season, following someone's investigation of this question, was:
      "Relegation battlers tend to perform almost as well as mid-table teams in the last 10 matches of the season, but not as well as the top 7. (The results over the last 5 matches of the season might be slightly different). The team in 8th position often falls away towards the end, being safe from relegation but ceasing to be a serious contender for the Champions League. And some of the teams just above that might not be too keen on qualifying for the Europa League. GW38 may see some clubs fielding experimental teams and not showing their usual form."

    4. 3 A
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I dont trust it 100%. Maybe just around 60%.

      1. Andy_Social
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        C'mon guys, let's be absolutely specific here: Wolverhampton Wanderers. Terrific run down the final straight but nothing to play for. Should we be investing in the likes of Patricio, Coady, Neto - or not?

        1. Thomas Magnum
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Probably only the players pushing for a place in their national team or playing for a contract imo

          1. Andy_Social
            • 11 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            I don't really but that - it's a team game. E.g. Rui might be 100% motivated, but if his defence are on the beach ...

            1. Andy_Social
              • 11 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              *buy

            2. Thomas Magnum
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              I see where you're coming from, and normally I wouldn't agree with what I said. But just because it is a Euros year I can pretty confidently guess that Coady will be motivated as well. Although not sure about players like Semedo or Jonny whether or not they're fighting for national team spots. And it doesn't really mean much to the AFCON players as I think there's no tournament this year but I just guess that any fringe players will want to go 100% to try make the final national team squads

  11. JJeyy
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Who scores more this week

    Bamford vs SHU -4
    Watkins vs FUL (Grealish back)

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Anytime goalscorer odds would surely favour BamBam there

      In reality you may as well toss a coin - single GW returns are often more variance than anything else

      1. JJeyy
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        have to factor in the -4 for bam though

        1. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Might wanna see if Ollie starts v Poland (unlikely, admittedly). Bampot will have had a nice rest (as will most of the Blades to be sure). I'm worried about Kane's energy levels if he plays the next 2 - I was intending to TC him v Newcastle, but if he returns exhausted it puts a dampener on proceedings.

  12. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Not looking at any Wolves assets for my WC 31.

  13. M00N
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Has anyone noticed the massive blank that’s appeared in GW32? Doesn’t seem to be much chat about it on here.

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I believe the postponed games will be scheduled mid-week, in the same GW. Not 100% sure though.

      1. M00N
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Oh will we know before the deadline next week cause I was thinking of putting in a Chelsea defender?

      2. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Think the one oddity may be Southampton

        iirc Crellin has posited that the Spurs game may be put there and not the scheduled Palace one - that would create a DGW if it happened.

        1. Botman and Robben
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Oh, yes, waiting for that Spurs DGW to use the TC on.

        2. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I think this will happen - DGW for Spurs and BGW for Palace in 32 as a result (lol @ Benteke owners)

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            But then he gets a potential DGW in 35 against Southampton and SHU. Both he and 3.7 (by then) Mitchell become essential 🙂

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      There's literally nowhere logical for those games to go except to remain in GW32. No point discussing it really.

    3. M00N
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Thanks all. I’d just popped out of hibernation from the international break with no idea what had happened. Yaaawn I’ll crawl back to my cave.

  14. Annie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Hope lots of WCers get them in...

  15. sirmorbach
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Martínez / Forster
    Dias / Stones / Cresswell / Dunk /  Dallas
    Salah / Bruno / Gündogan / Raphinha / Soucek
    Kane / Antonio / Watkins

    (WC available)

    A. Salah to Mount
    B. Dias/Stones/Dunk to Azpi/Shaw
    C. Both for a hit
    D. Hold

    1. Kilnagross
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Hold

      1. sirmorbach
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Thank you, sir!

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Leaning toward B. I have Stones & Dias as well.

      1. sirmorbach
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Cheers, mate. What are you thinking of? Stones to Azpi seems the more plausible one to me, but who knows

        1. Botman and Robben
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Lol. I have been thinking of just that. Stones -> Azpi. My last FT use before I WC in 31.

  16. Submit questions for Current World Number 1
    Sam FPLFamily
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    At 5pm over on the new @FFS_Community Twitter account we will be doing a LIVE Q&A with the current FPL world number 1.

    If you have any questions you'd like answered on strategy, players, teams etc then either come join us at 5 or drop them in a reply here and we will get some of them answered after the Q&A and include them in an article onsite tomorrow.

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      1. Have you ever considered changing your last name in light of recent movements in football?
      2. Can you do a good Michael Caine impression?
      3. Is this the best OR you've ever had?
      4. Why is your team name "Teddy Bears Utd"?
      5. I am rank 575k, but I still have my second WC. Are you nervous about me pipping you at the post?

    2. The Ilfordian
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      1. How important is a good grasp of an Excel spreadsheet to a good FPL score?
      2. Do you value a good hunch over the stats and eye test?
      3. What would you do with the winnings- will you be playing from Rio next year?
      4. Has a successful transfer ever made you cheer in a public place?
      5. Are / were you a good football player?

    3. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      1. Looking at your FPL history, what changes in strategy/decisions did you make this season to completely turn around your fortunes?
      2. How many teddy bears do you own?

    4. RedLightning
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      1. You've been playing since 2008/09 but only finished in the top 100k on one occasion.
      What have you been doing differently this season?
      2. How important is it to get off to a strong start?
      3. You've only taken three 4 point hits. Did you deliberately plan to keep the number of hits down or just find that you didn't need them?
      4. Do you tend to make early transfers to avoid losing value, or wait till nearer the deadline when more information is available? Are high team values overrated?
      5. You played your first wildcard in GW15. Do you think it's usually better to play it fairly late, or did you just find that you didn't need it earlier? It resulted in an immediate red arrow followed by seven successive greens. Was it focussed largely on preparing for a Bench Boost in DGW19 (when you scored 136 points) following a Free Hit in BGW18?
      6. You then played your Wildcard in GW25 followed by Triple Captaining Harry Kane in DGW26. Do you think you made the best use of your chips, or looking back could you have played them differently?

    5. Iceball
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      How much time to you spend on FPL per week, on average?

    6. michaelington
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      1. What is it like being the luckiest player in the game?
      2. Considering last years winner got banned for being racist, have you thought about changing your surname?

    7. 3 A
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Give us 3 most important tips for the start of next season.. PLEASE. Thanks in advance.

  17. martyhan
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Start

    A. Meslier (sheff home)
    Or
    B. Mendy (west brom home)

    Already starting rudiger too.

    1. Runaway
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      B

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      B

  18. Well you know, Triffic
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Must.
    Resist.
    Semedo.

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      He's awful from an attacking perspective.

  19. The Ilfordian
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Albania v England: World Cup qualifier in doubt over security issue:

    “ with no other lockdown measures in place in in the country it could mean the area around the the Air Albania Stadium could be busy, seemingly with no promise of adequate policing.”

  20. aleksios
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Correct bench here?

    --Martinez
    --Cresswell--Digne--Dallas
    --Raphinia--KDB--Lingard--Bruno
    --Kane--Bam--DCL

    --Johnstone--Gundo--Targett--Dunk.

    Thanks a lot guys.

      1. The Ilfordian
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Good point. So Arsenal probably a tougher defence

  21. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    KdB TC, WC 31

    Martinez ¦ Forster
    Reguilon Cancelo* Coufal
    Bale Auba* Bruno Lingard
    Kane Bamford Antonio
    ¦ Saka Veltman Holding

    Cancelo, Auba -> Alonso, KdB (-4)

    Any better one week moves for this setup?

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      risky when alonso isnt nailed

  22. Pep bites Kun
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Which Wolves players should FPL managers buy for the GW31 fixture swing? Big orange marker for a pay-for 'magic' reveal 🙂

    - Loads of free info/stats on other media. Not for the whole run, but they're cheapish, so you may as well pop an attacker & def in to bench or play for gw31-36 (ful, SHU, BUR, wba, BHA)

  23. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    The 4 goals in 10 excluding pens and OGs had me looking up Jim - just for old times sake and to smile at my week 3 WC to bring him in.

    Training with Mexico (sort of), in a headband and Nuno tipping him to play this season.

    Would love to see him back and given my OR I can see myself starting him and Kun in 38 🙂

  24. Sumant Natkar
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Short answer to big article, no one from Wolves is worth considering in fantasy team.