After 100+ friendlies, the 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season is almost upon us.
Here, we look at some of the key pre-season takeaways, from form players to key tactical observations to budget players who are getting game-time.
BUDGET ENABLERS EMERGE
Matt Turner (£4.0m) will almost certainly be in goal for Nottingham Forest against former club Arsenal on Saturday. Reports suggest Steve Cooper still wants to bring Dean Henderson (£4.5m) back to The City Ground, but for now, it looks like we have a starting £4.0m goalkeeper.
As expected, it’s the three newly-promoted clubs who are offering the cut-price options in defence.
Mads Andersen (£4.0m) didn’t play a minute as two Luton Town sides were in friendly action last weekend but only missed out because of sickness. He is expected to start at the Amex, alongside fellow £4.0m defenders Amari’i Bell and Issa Kabore. And it’s the latter, who performs a right wing-back role in Rob Edwards’ 3-5-2 formation, who is one to watch.
“Issa Kabore looks like being the best £4.0m defender in the game, as he’s a nailed attacking right wing-back.” – Dan Ashby, Luton Town correspondent
Elsewhere, Jordan Beyer (£4.0m) looks the best bet for game-time among Burnley’s £4.0m options, while George Baldock’s (£4.0m) short-term starts look more assured because positional rival Jayden Bogle (£4.5m) is out.
“Jordan Beyer looks very much underpriced at £4.0m, a starting defender with high-pass completion should be good for bonus points if Burnley can keep it tight at the back. The Clarets kept 16 clean sheets in Beyer’s 30 starts last season. Not much goal threat with just one career goal in over 100 starts, although he was on the scoresheet in the pre-season draw vs Real Betis.” – Adam Dennett, Burnley correspondent
“I’ve had Baldock in every draft and I’m currently starting him in Gameweek 1 against Palace. Jayden Bogle is still out injured so there’s no competition, and I can’t see Baldock getting replaced even when Bogle does return.” – FPL Blade, Sheffield United correspondent
Marvelous Nakamba (£4.5m) is a guaranteed starter in midfield for Luton Town. He re-joined the Hatters from Aston Villa in the summer after a successful loan spell in the second half of 2022/23.
Just don’t expect attacking returns – he took only six shots, and as many key passes, in 20 appearances last term.
Meanwhile, Carney Chukwuemeka’s (£4.5m) short-term prospects at Chelsea look decent, while up front, Cameron Archer (£4.5m) is currently Ollie Watkins’ (£8.0m) main backup at Aston Villa.
Like West Ham United’s Divin Mubama (£4.5m), he could get some minutes off the bench in the early weeks of 2023/24.
However, with fellow forwards missing, William Osula (£4.5m) could actually start for Sheffield United against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 1. He’s featured prominently in pre-season and could benefit from injuries to Oli McBurnie (£5.5m), Daniel Jebbison (£5.0m) and Rhian Brewster (£5.0m).
FORM PLAYERS
| Team | Form players |
| Arsenal | Saka (2 goals, 3 assists), Trossard (4 goals), Jesus (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Aston Villa | Watkins (4 goals), Buendia (3 goals, 1 assist), Luiz (3 assists) |
| Bournemouth | Christie (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Brentford | Schade (2 goals, 1 assist) |
| Brighton | Joao Pedro (2 goals, 1 assist) |
| Burnley | Brownhill (2 goals) |
| Chelsea | Jackson (2 goals, 3 assists), Nkunku (3 goals), Maatsen (2 goals, 1 assist), Chukwuemeka (3 assists) |
| Crystal Palace | Eze (2 goals, 5 assists), Mateta (3 goals), Edouard (3 goals), Ahamada (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Everton | Maupay (2 goals) |
| Fulham | Wilson (1 goal, 1 assist), Reed (1 goal, 1 assist) |
| Liverpool | Salah (2 goals, 7 assists), Jota (4 goals, 3 assists), Darwin (4 goals, 1 assist), Diaz (3 goals), Gakpo (2 goals, 1 assist) |
| Luton Town | Morris (3 goals), Berry (2 goals, 1 assist), Adebayo (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Man City | Alvarez (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Man Utd | van de Beek (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Newcastle | Anderson (4 goals, 3 assists), Almiron (3 goals), Isak (2 goals, 1 assist), Wilson (1 goal, 2 assists), Murphy (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Nott’m Forest | Yates (1 goal, 1 assist) |
| Sheff Utd | Ndiaye (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Tottenham | Kane (5 goals), Lo Celso (2 goals, 2 assists), Richarlison (3 goals) |
| West Ham | Bowen (3 goals, 3 assists), Emerson (1 goal, 3 assists), Mubama (3 goals), Fornas (3 assists) |
| Wolves | Cunha (3 goals), Nunes (3 assists), Sarabia (1 goal, 2 assists) |
KLOPP: “WE MEAN BUSINESS”
“I saw a lot of things where my thoughts were ‘we mean business’. My good feeling is based on the things I saw and the things we did in pre-season.” – Jurgen Klopp
Goalscoring shouldn’t be a problem for Liverpool this season.
Jurgen Klopp has all five of his main attacking options fit and that quintet has scored a whopping 15 goals between them across Liverpool’s friendlies.
Despite showing defensive vulnerabilities against Bayern Munich, the squad looks sharp and with Moises Caicedo (£5.0m) potentially on the way, Liverpool can take plenty of positives from pre-season.
CHILWELL’S THREAT
After a disappointing 2022/23 campaign and a 12th-place finish, Chelsea have impressed under Mauricio Pochettino in pre-season.
Ben Chilwell (£5.5m) has been one of their stand-out performers, with plenty of license to attack and a prominent role at set plays.
Christopher Nkunku (£7.5m) has unfortunately picked up an injury, but Nicolas Jackson (£7.0m) has been getting the goals and even Mykhailo Mudryk (£6.5m) scored.
Chelsea haven’t lost a single game, beating Wrexham, Brighton and Hove Albion and Fulham, whilst drawing with Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund, and it’s clear Pochettino has made a good first impression.
KANE’S EXIT
With Harry Kane (£12.5m) seemingly off to Germany, it isn’t an ideal start to the season for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur.
Still, they have looked lively in pre-season, registering 100+ shots in their first three friendlies alone.
The Australian loves to play attacking football and his message is clearly getting across, with James Maddison (£7.5m) and Dejan Kulusevski (£7.0m) in particular thriving in his set-up.
Five of their 12 pre-season goals were scored by Kane, but Richarlison (£7.0m) is fit and with Son Heung-min (£9.0m), Maddison and Kulusevski in behind, they should have enough firepower, even without further additions.
WOLVES FAR FROM READY
It’s been a turbulent summer at Molineux and there will be little time for Gary O’Neil to settle before his side visit Old Trafford on Monday.
The squad looks thin and they might be a team to target in the early weeks, having lost key players such as Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves over the summer, plus manager Julen Lopetegui.
Wolves shipped just three goals in their seven friendlies, but tougher ties await against Man Utd, Brighton and Liverpool in the first five Gameweeks.
