We finish off our team previews for the 2023/24 campaign with some fresh supporter insight on the three newly promoted clubs: Burnley, Luton and Sheffield United.
We’ve already written in-depth, three-part articles on each team earlier in the summer as part of our Promoted series.
But after a summer of friendlies and transfer dealings, we’ve caught up with our correspondents from each side to see how their respective teams are gearing up for the Premier League season.
Our fans are Adam Dennett (Burnley), Dan Ashby (Luton Town) and FPL Blade (Sheffield United).
Q. Who or what has caught your eye in pre-season at your club?
“I’ve been very impressed with our recruitment, as we have signed players that add key attributes to our team. Chiedozie Ogbene: pace. Mads Andersen: height. Tahith Chong: the ability to carry and keep the ball. Ryan Giles: set-piece delivery.” – Dan Ashby
“The highlight from pre-season has been Anis Ben Slimane playing the ‘Lundstram role’. He looks very skillful and powerful. He also scored against Derby with a great strike. The main problem was Iliman Ndiaye leaving so close to the start of the season, so everything is up in the air now.” – FPL Blade
“The goalkeeper situation. James Trafford arrived for big money in the summer and he looked a certainty to be no. 1 to start the season, but pre-season has left a question mark. Aro Muric has stuck around and put in a ‘MOTM’ performance in an impressive 2-0 friendly win over Benfica, pulling off a stunning double save and looking as assured as ever with the ball at his feet. Whereas Trafford has played in a drab 2-0 defeat at Genk and conceded a goal from the opposition half in the 1-1 draw at Betis. I still think Trafford starts but Kompany now has a decision to make.
“Also, control versus big sides. We have faced two top sides in Portuguese champions Benfica (won 2-0) and Real Betis (1-1), who finished sixth in La Liga last season. As you’d expect, we have had less possession than in games last season, but the big positive for me was how assured we looked both on and off the ball, the only goal conceded being a freak Trafford own-goal after a free-kick from inside the Betis half. A pinch of salt may be required but it’s hard not to get carried away after the results and performances across both games.” – Adam Dennett
Q. Who would be the top three FPL picks you’d go for at your club and why?
“Issa Kabore looks like being the best £4.0m defender in the game, as he’s a nailed attacking right wing-back. Carlton Morris is one of the most all-round strikers in the league and will score a variety of goals. Marvelous Nakamba is a guaranteed £4.5m starter in midfield.” – Dan Ashby
“George Baldock is the stand-out pick; Anel Ahmedhodzic would have been in my team if Baldock wasn’t £4.0m. If James McAtee comes back on loan from Manchester City at £4.5m, he will be straight into my squad. I had originally picked out Sander Berge as a potential great enabler, especially if he was playing further forward in an atttacking midfield slot – but he has now left for Burnley.” – FPL Blade
“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.
“Anass Zaroury is a silky, skillful and direct winger. His form in the first half of last season was electric. Six goals and as many assists in 2022/23 doesn’t stand out against other Burnley midfielders but I’m backing him to make a big impact and he’s only going to get better. He understandably faded after the prolonged World Cup and during Ramadan, which could be another ‘watch out’ later in the season with AFCON 2024 and Ramadan in March.
“Lyle Foster, the South African forward, is a wildcard pick but he has all of the attributes to be a big threat. A £10m January signing from Westerlo, where he’d scored eight goals in 21 games in the first half of last season, and has already played in the French and Portuguese leagues. He struggled to adapt to a Burnley side that was flying when he came in but was always earmarked as one for next season. With a full pre-season and plenty of minutes in the friendlies, he’s already looking much sharper and is my one to watch.” – Adam Dennett
Q. Will you own any of your club’s players in Gameweek 1? Why/why not?
“I will probably start with Kabore and Nakamba, the best budget options in their respective positions and prices.” – Dan Ashby
“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. I did also have Iliman Ndiaye but obviously, now he’s gone!” – FPL Blade
“Beyer for the reasons stated above – although valid reasons not to have Burnley assets are the blank in Gameweek 2 and the fixtures being tough until Gameweek 10. The first Wildcard could be a better option when we know more about our best attacking threats. Burnley forward players were very streaky in the Championship last season, with Rodriguez, Zaroury, Tella and Benson all having periods when they were returning week in, week out, and were the obvious Fantasy picks at the time.” – Adam Dennett
Q. Prediction for 2023/24 – where do you think your team will finish and why?
“We will be very competitive and take it down to the final day. 17th.” – Dan Ashby
“I had us finishing between 13th-15th before the Ndiaye sale. Now, I think we will finish 18th-19th unless we recruit well between now and the transfer window closing. We will be very hard to beat at home, though, in front of full crowd. Even the season we went down, we only really got beaten badly by Leicester City.” – FPL Blade
“14th-17th. I back us to finish above the two other promoted clubs given our dominance in the Championship last year. With our summer activity, we should also be able to compete well with the three clubs that came up from the Championship in 2021/22 (Fulham/Bournemouth/Forest). The likes of Palace/Wolves could easily get sucked in, too, after quiet summers. I feel like I may even be pessimistic with this prediction given Kompany’s ruthless nature but survival has to be the priority.” – Adam Dennett
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