Eight-time top 10k finisher Zophar hosts his weekly Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Q&A ahead of Gameweek 38. Here, topics include the best Triple Captain picks for chasers and the top Gameweek 38 forwards.
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Q: Best striker for this week?
Q. Who are your top Gameweek 38 forwards in order of preference?
(via ATMIS and PEP BITES KUN)
A: Alexander Isak (£9.4m) would have been at the top of my list if he were declared fit, but at the time of writing, all Eddie Howe has told us is that he hasn’t trained all week, and that he hopes to train over the weekend. That doesn’t sound promising at all for a start.
As has been the case this season, we look to target the teams playing the promoted/relegated sides. However, West Ham United and Arsenal do not really have striker options we can pick. This would leave only Evanilson (£5.9m), who I think is probably my second-favourite striker option for this week, given how good Bournemouth have been at home. Leicester also have a dismal away record: no team has conceded more goals than the Foxes (44) on the road.
My top pick would be Danny Welbeck (£5.5m). Tottenham Hotspur recently had their victory parade and it was ‘noticeable’ how worse for wear some of their players were. I don’t think either side will be prioritising doing any defending on Sunday and Welbeck should be on penalties, with Joao Pedro (£5.5m) not in contention.
If you own Erling Haaland (£14.9m), he’s a decent captaincy shout but not one I would be buying necessarily with multiple transfers. Matheus Cunha’s (£7.1m) gametime is uncertain with recent transfer speculation, while Cody Gakpo (£7.2m) isn’t nailed for a start. I like Ollie Watkins (£9.1m) but I’m not sure that Villa will score loads at Old Trafford. Chris Wood (£7.2m) isn’t getting enough shots off for my liking.
So, just by process of elimination, I think it would be Yoane Wissa (£7.1m) for me as the third-best forward.
Q: Who is the best Triple Captain punt for those chasing?
(via FPL VIRGIN)
A: I had Bukayo Saka (£10.3m) pencilled in as the best Triple Captain option for this week but with Arsenal having absolutely nothing to play for, that has gone out the window. Saka’s gametime is impossible to predict: he could start, come off on 50-60 mins or be benched for Ethan Nwaneri (£4.3m). It’s a minefield. Sure, sometimes games with nothing to play for see more goals, but the minutes are the primary concern.
A Bournemouth player appeals, but it’s a lottery as to which of the Cherries players hauls on any given day. They don’t really have a clear talisman. Justin Kluivert’s (£5.9m) form has dropped off a bit and Antoine Semenyo (£5.7m) can be hugely frustrating, so if I think if I were “cherry-picking”, it would be Evanilson.
Mohamed Salah (£13.6m) will be the most popular captaincy this week, in all likelihood. On paper, he’s probably the best pick. However, if you’re chasing, you’re probably going to gain about 110-120% effective ownership (EO) against the crowd, not much more.
Jarrod Bowen (£7.9m) is a great option. West Ham United don’t score many but when they do, Bowen is often involved. He does struggle to get multiple returns at times but the matchup is great against an Ipswich Town side that will try to put on a show for their fans in their final home game.
Welbeck is also a decent punt for the reasons above.
Q: Best/worst Gameweek 38-related memory? My personal favourite: I transferred in two defenders, Andrew Robertson and Patrick van Aanholt, for a hit and gained 21 points. My worst memory is a final-day Free Hit, with David Silva (c) blanking and Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling hauling.
(via DANK SQUID)
A: I used my Free Hit in Gameweek 38 in the same season you are referring to. For me, it paid rich rewards. I did get in David Silva but I didn’t captain him. I also kept Kevin De Bruyne and captained Raheem Sterling, so that went well. Marcos Alonso delivered an 11-pointer for me, and more importantly, we got news that league champions Liverpool had benched their entire first XI, so it outscored my original team massively. I think I ended up on a four-digit Gameweek rank, which was a great way to go into the summer.
Apart from that, as a Chelsea fan, owning Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba for the 8-0 thrashing of Wigan Athletic to clinch the title also lives long in the memory.
Q: Bukayo Saka vs Jarrod Bowen for this week?
(via PEP BITES KUN)
A: As mentioned earlier, I am not convinced of Saka’s minutes for the final day. Bowen all the way for me.
Q: If you have a spare transfer, which template forward of Ollie Watkins, Yoane Wissa or Alexander Isak would you sell for Evanilson?
(via @lukeyboy1237)
A: If I were to guess, I don’t think Isak will start against Everton. Selling him is a move that carries risk, especially with Jarrad Braithwaite (£4.9m) out for Everton and considering Newcastle United’s home form. He could start, he could come off the bench if Newcastle are desperate; it’s all uncertain. But of the three, I think that’s where I would lean.
That’s it from me for this season. I have enjoyed writing these articles for you every week.
Thank you for your kind words on the thread and your replies; they are much appreciated. Have a great summer!
