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11 August 2021 464 comments
Simon March Simon March
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If you read my previous article, you’ll know that I didn’t have the best year in 2020/21, not by anyone’s standards really but, by my own standards, it was my worst-ever Fantasy Premier League (FPL) finish.

Of course, the first rule of this season is that we don’t talk about last season so I won’t drag it up too much other than to allow it to provide some context for my strategy going into 2021/22.

In that article, I borrowed the phrase ‘irrational exuberance’ to describe the precipitous mindset I brought to last season’s overly optimistic team selection but that wasn’t the whole story. Keen followers of this column (should they exist) might remember me discussing the ‘house money effect’; our tendency to take greater risks if we feel we are in profit.

The year before ‘the season that we don’t talk about’, I secured a 5k finish, which was more than enough to make me feel like I was ‘in profit’. Consequently, I approached last season with the mindset that I could afford to have some fun and shoot from the hip a bit with my Gameweek 1 selection. It could have paid off, but it didn’t.

That is not the theme going into this campaign. This is not a ‘fun’ selection. This is a cold, hard, gritty, no-nonsense, get-the-job-done team selection. I hope you enjoy it.

TEAM REVEAL

FPL pre-season: Trossard hits hat-trick from wing-back role 1

464 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Geordie19
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Raph or Benrahmha

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Rap

      1. FPL Joker
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 26 days ago

        Bloody hell, no one ever agrees with me. Do the opposite of what I say…

    2. FPL Joker
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Ben for GW1

    3. dshv
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      I am on that question for the last 3 days.. but the truth is raphinha is more good pick than benrahma zzz

    4. jack88
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Ben looked really good in preseason. I think ben is better than Antonio

      1. Geordie19
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 26 days ago

        Cheers guys.

  2. The 12th Man
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    How’s this looking?

    Schmeichel
    TAA,Shaw,Tsimikas
    Barnes,Salah, Fernandes,Mahrez,Benrahma
    Ings,Toney

    Ward,White,Obobamidele,Perica

    1. Andy_Social
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      I'm a fan of your Irishman O'Bob the Middle

    2. WVA
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Mahrez overpriced for me

      1. The 12th Man
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 26 days ago

        You reckon?
        Gundo instead and use 1.5m elsewhere?

  3. The Red Devil
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    not much love for wilson? cheaper than ings, though feel he should've been 7.0 maybe? thoughts?

    1. Garth Marenghi
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      I have them both and Antonio.

      1. fantasyfog
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 26 days ago

        Same!!

  4. jack88
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Didn't follow havertz last season. Worth getting him? I know he is a good player? What about fpl wise?

    Anyone having havertz?
    Will he Start?
    Fixture is rough though

    1. FPL Joker
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      He’s a pain as he doesn’t always start. A bit like Pep Roulette but no Pep.

    2. Garth Marenghi
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Thought about it just for gw1, if I had the cash I’d do it, but will do the same thing with ziyech instead. I think havertz will be better this year, so more nailed. But that’s me guessing.

    3. Andy_Social
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Thought long and hard. Decided to wait and see where he fits in around Lukaku.

  5. Fatboy_Slim
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Need a suggestion guys...

    TAA+4.5 Forward OR Cash/target+Toney?

    Thanks in advance!

  6. Checko
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    A) Ings

    B) Mahrez

    1. Punk of Personality
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Ings

  7. Worsle90
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Is this looking ready?

    Sanchez
    TAA - Shaw - Coufal - Tsimikas
    Salah - Bruno - Son - Sarr - ESR
    DCL

    Steele - Pukki - Doherty - Obafemi

  8. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Championship front 3 sorted:

    Toney | Pukki | Armstrong

    Anyone running with it lol

    1. Swahealy
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 25 days ago

      Ings first 3 games though

  9. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    The party is on the new post slow coaches

  10. Punk of Personality
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Anything wrong with this lot?

    Sanchez

    TAA Shaw Tsim Cancelo
    Bruno Salah Barnes
    Toney Antonio Ings

    Bench: Coufal, Gilmour, Bissouma, Foster.
    £1M ITB

    Cheers!

    1. The bean
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Similar to mine. nice balance...

      1. Punk of Personality
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 26 days ago

        Cheers. Basically a toss up between Raphinha and Cancelo. Was also thinking of upgrading Toney to Iheanacho and Barnes to Raphinha. Can't be doing with the tinkering now lol

    2. Daniel Leith
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Nice. Same team except I have Dias. Raph on bench

  11. arkom
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Whether Sancho and Grealish are safe choices in draft fantasy gamemode?

  12. PocketZola
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Place holder for lukakooo?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Vardy and 1m

  13. Worsle90
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    A) TAA and Sarr
    or
    B) Chilwell and Greenwood

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      A - not sure Chilwell starts on Saturday

    2. The bean
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Taa and sorr

  14. The bean
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    What do you think of this lot then?

    Shanchez (foster)
    TAA, Shaw dias ( coufal & o bob)
    Salah, jota, son, Barnes (Brownhill)
    Toney, Antonio, ings

  15. AC Pilkington
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Is Son worth it even if it means playing a less favourable or balanced 433 formation?

    1. jack88
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      son plays basically like a striker..whatever spurs do, son or kane will be involved.

    2. StingRay
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Son’s in my team. Striker who has had an excelllent pre-season. I’m playing Son in a 442 formation.

  16. FC Hakkebøf
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Wilson or Toney?

  17. Zero
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Bummed on picking three of the five below. Imo:

    Wilson (Pros: ASM has been improving on his assisting and final ball, on penalties, usually in the bonus if he scores, fixtures good. Cons: Newcastle not the best, many forwards projected better odds in GW1)

    Ings (Pros: strong team, clinical, proven. Cons: made of glass, appeared to drop back last game more than Watkins when not in possession, Buendia may not play GW1, not on penalties with El G on the pitch)

    Toney (Pros: plays the first game of the season against Arsenal so has huge price-rise capability if he scores, clinical in Champ, on penalties. Cons: Brentford are new to the PL, unproven in PL, could drop in price quick if he's off to a slow start, high ownership)

    Antonio (Pros: proven, can take penalties, strong team, good preseason, decent fixtures. Cons: can potentially be invisible at times, has an injury history, chance of not taking penalties)

    Mahrez (Pros: incredibly strong team, good preseason, *potentially* less Pep roulette, can take penalties - may be more pens with Grealish now. Cons: Pep roulette, first fixture is Spurs, awkward price point to move funds in team)

    Think I'm going to go for Toney, Antonio, Ings. Wilson would be my choice over Toney, but that match day 1 fixture has killer potential. Not really a point to the above, more a ramble than anything!

  18. Mane Mane Mane
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Do I change any of Benrahma Barnes or Raph out for Greenwood?

    1. Old and Slow
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      I personally wouldn't trade him out for Barnes or Raph, but there's a lot of people on here favoring Mason to be magic. I admit that if he's playing full time, he's certainly not a bad pick... As good as Benrahma was in preseason.... I'd be tempted there... Assuming you have the spare change to make it work ..

  19. garriq
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Welcome any thoughts or criticism.. Not in love with having no Chelsea representation especially on Def. .. Planning to regroup after first break.

    4-4-2
    GK - Sanchez
    Def - TAA, shaw, Amartey, Tsmikas
    Mid - Salah, Bruno, Barnes, Son
    Fwd - Antonio, Ings

    Bn - Foster, White, Bissouma, 4.5 fwd

  20. Steirish
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Anyone using bench boost game week one?

  21. Old and Slow
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    No love for Bamford to start? He seemed relatively fixture proof last season... Not sure he can replicate that, but if he does, 8M seems fair....

    1. Zalk
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Taa, Salah, Bruno, Shaw and Bamford never left my initial draft. He seem to be the focal point of that attack. But I might be foolish having him over Ings.

  22. Ed11
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Son & Benrahma
    or
    Mahrez & Barnes

    Thanks gents..

  23. Bene_the_horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Hay ladies and gents. Advice would be appreciated. Which is better please for first say 3 gameweeks?

    A. Dias, Jota, Brownhill (won’t start )
    B. Tsimikas, Greenwood, Raphinha ( rotate on fixtures )

    Cheers!

    1. nico05
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      I think B looks best

  24. quickstop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Only focusing until International break.

    Sanchez
    TAA - Shaw - Weltman - Tsimikas
    Salah - Bruno - Son - Barnes
    Ings - Antonio

    Foster-Amartey-Gilmour-Obafemi

  25. Pomodoro
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Not seen many 4-4-2 options;

    Sanchez (foster)
    Bertrand TAA Coufal White (Amartey)
    Son Fernandes Salah Barnes (Gilmour)
    Antonio Wilson (Obafemi)

    1. nico05
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      Looks good, like the Wilson pick if he stays fit he could be gold this season at that price imo

  26. nico05
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Maybe way off with this by why has Matt Doherty and even Reguilon being unanimously ignored? Are they both a foolish punt?

    1. BobB
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      5 years, 26 days ago

      5.0 sounds a lot for a Spurs defender, but this season I think it will be value for the wbs

  27. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Is Ashley Young predicted to start for Villa?

  28. jopabemu
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 26 days ago

    Would people be kind to rate my team please for the first 2 game weeks? Not bothered beyond that as I plan to use my first wildcard in game week 2 ahead of game week 3 and accumulate lots of team value by buying lots of bandwagons before selling them off game weeks 20 and beyond (if necessary) to prioritise the chips, blanks and double gameweeks (I've adopted that strategy the past 2 seasons and they have been my 2 best ever seasons and I've earned top 25k finishes in both).
    Bachmann
    Tskimas, Shaw, Targett, Veltman
    Salah, Mane (c), Fernandes
    Toney, Ings, Antonio

    Bench: Mbuembo, Amartey, Gilmour, Foster

    I see the big risk to my team being the lack of Trent as he may be fresh from not playing in the euros and is a good attacking threat including from set pieces. But I felt I had no option if I wanted mane (having had such a good pre season) and Salah in. Obviously I can't have more than 3 Liverpool players and I'm hoping Tskimas can give me the clean sheet points that Trent would get for £3.5 million cheaper and is also a threat on the wing. Any help would be much appreciated for the first 2 gameweeks

  29. Letsgo!
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 25 days ago

    Sanchez
    Cresswell tsimikas shaw
    Salah bruno son barnes townsend
    Ings antonio

    Subs foster white veltman obafemi

    Gtg?