In the latest article from our team of Hall of Famers and guest writers, Fantasy all-rounder Obay Eid/FPL Milanista recommends Gameweek 13 transfer targets and discusses his own plans.
Back after what seemed like a very long break, it’s time to re-ignite our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) interest and look towards a busy schedule ahead. Having no more international breaks until March 2024 is great news for all, although squeezing eight Gameweeks into the final part of 2023 is a significant matter that needs proper planning.
As a manager who tends to spend the majority of funds on a strong XI, this is the only time of year when I strongly consider strengthening the bench in preparation for the congestion.
Looking at Gameweek 13, one major concern is the spread of flags and doubts among highly selected players. In fact, 12 are flagged who are selected by more than 10% of managers – an odd situation to be in. Add in the late Tuesday South American kick-offs that usually affect Saturday rotations and you’ll find another sign that frustrations may define this Gameweek.
Therefore, it’s really important to hold back making transfers for as long as possible. Wait to hear more in the pre-match press conferences, even if that means losing some team value.
TARGETING FIXTURES
So which teams should we be looking to target and do they provide any differentials? Looking at the Season Ticker, it’s Burnley and Nottingham Forest who have the best fixtures over the next six rounds. Neither team offers much in terms of FPL, especially now that Taiwo Awoniyi (£6.4m) has been ruled out for months. Yet, a punt on someone like Morgan Gibbs-White (£5.7m) is not the worst idea.
Then again, in cases where it’s difficult to target teams with both good fixtures and trusted FPL options, I tend to adjust the ticker into multiple chunks. Planning such transfers could turn fruitful over a shorter period of time.
For example, Brentford have the third-worst run over the next half-dozen. But a deeper look reveals that Blank Gameweek 18 and their imminent match with Arsenal are the reasons why. In between, they face Luton Town, Brighton and Hove Albion, Sheffield United and Aston Villa. It’s a great spell to target Bryan Mbeumo (£6.8m) for if both Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£6.6m) are indeed ruled out.
MIDFIELD OPTIONS
Speaking of Bowen, he’s strongly on my radar if declared fit, as West Ham United come third on the ticker. Michail Antonio‘s (£5.8m) injury opens the door for Bowen to play up front, a role which he’s excelling at.
Meanwhile, Cole Palmer (£5.2m) is another worth speaking about. With under 10% ownership, he’s been sensational for Chelsea this season. At that price, he is an amazing pick who also raises extra cash to reinforce your bench options.
One last mid-priced midfielder to mention is the returning Eberechi Eze (£6.1m), currently in just 4% of squads. He has lovely short-term fixtures, after a goal and assist from his latest two Crystal Palace outings. Being on penalties and set-pieces gives him a good chance of more FPL returns. The only issue with Eze and his team-mates is that their fixtures turn significantly worse from Gameweek 16.
Midfielders have been the most talked about area since day one of this FPL campaign. But, looking at other positions, I’d be happily targeting Kieran Trippier (£7.0m), an Arsenal defender, Dominic Solanke (£6.4m) and a possibly declared-fit Alexander Isak (£7.4m).
MY GAMEWEEK 13 TEAM
Looking at my team, I’m waiting to hear more news on Mitoma, Erling Haaland (£14.0m) and Bowen before making a move. If Mitoma was confirmed out, my preference is to swap him for either Bowen or Mbeumo, although both will require a hit as I have £0.0m in the bank.
Alternatively, he could move to a cheaper option like Eze or Palmer, subsequently freeing up funds for switching Moussa Diaby (£6.8m) to Mbeumo next week.
There are plenty of options to go for and that’s another reason for managers to wait and get more information before rushing into transfers. As for captaincy, it’ll probably be Haaland or Son Heung-min (£9.7m). That depends on fitness updates.
Thank you all for reading and I wish you all the best over the congested schedule.
