Pro Pundits
22 August 2025 266 comments
Tom Hadley Tom Hadley
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Tom Hadley – a one-time world number one in FPL – is the newest addition to our ever-growing team of contributors for 2025/26.

He’ll be providing data-driven articles every week this season, continuing with this one.

His own Gameweek 3 team plans can be found towards the foot of this article.


FPL kicked off in typical fashion. Late clean sheet wipeouts, big hitters blanking and some narrow DefCon misses. A warm welcome back indeed! 

Can Stach compete with the other cheap midfielders?

Stach

It was the week of the budget midfielder, with Tijjani Reijnders (£5.6m) undoubtedly the star of the show.

Forget Pep roulette: you’ve got a goalscoring midfielder (with pedigree) in that City team for just £5.6m. It’s a no-brainer and the one pick I’m still kicking myself for not going for! 

Elliot Anderson (£5.5m), whom I do own, did impress me a lot, mind. He was relentless against Brentford, taking corners, creating chances and coming close himself on a couple of occasions. He was only one away from the DefCon threshold, too – on another day, it was a big haul.

Above: FPL midfielders sorted by defensive contributions in Gameweek 1

Anton Stach (£5.0m) gave a somewhat similar performance to Anderson’s. On corners, he created four chances and took four shots – all whilst actually hitting the DefCon threshold. For £0.5m cheaper, he is definitely one to watch.

Above: FPL midfielders sorted by chances created (CC) in Gameweek 1

DefCon Leaderboard

 

 1



The rest of this article below is completely free to read but requires a Fantasy Football Scout user account for access – you can get yours at no cost here

 1

266 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Sid07
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    Frimpong to
    1) Gabriel
    2) Saliba
    3) Ait nouri
    4) any other suggestion ( not chelsea defender)

    1. FPL_trail_runner
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      1.

    2. Atimis
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      I between these and Porro, won't Porro be better starting from the next week?

      1. Sid07
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        other option is to save and play Esteve

        1. Atimis
          • 9 Years
          8 months, 10 hours ago

          I dont want to lose money on Frimpong so want to sell him this week as wellhttps://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2025/08/22/5-0m-stach-one-to-watch-in-fpl-the-defcon-leaders?hc_sort_by=comment_date&hc_page=-1&notify=no

    3. Aster
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      Saliba

  2. FPL_trail_runner
    • 5 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    Is this too punty on WC? All potential tailsman

    Dubravka
    Cucurella Ait-Nouri Gabriel
    Cunha Salah Semenyo Reindeers
    Haaland (c) Strand-Larsen, Thiago.

    4mil King Gudmon Reineldo

    Can fix Dubravka in week 4 with an Ait-Nouri downgrade most likely.

    1. Conners
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      Might be worth downgrading Gabriel to a 4.5 or 5- there's great value in that range.

      You can then use the 1m to upgrade Strand Larsen to a 7.5 which gives you access to Mateta, Wissa, Evanilson, etc instead of relying on two budget forwards.

      1. FPL_trail_runner
        • 5 Years
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        I think SL is a better pick than those

        He is central to Wolves and on pens, longterm Wissa could be good at NEW but its weeks away, I dont like Mateta so much, Sarr will take alot of goals and Eze is gone.

        If wolves score its all strand larsen.

        1. Conners
          • 7 Years
          8 months, 10 hours ago

          Sounds fair - GL

    2. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      I wish I'd trusted my gut to start with Haaland no Salah but reversed now cost -4 to get rid of Salah and get Haaland. Why both? Salah just didn't look great and lucky goal at the end

      1. FPL_trail_runner
        • 5 Years
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        90mins, pens, Liverpool will score alot and he can create and score, and i see rotation to some degree with Ekitike and Gakpo

        Im trying to find tailsmen, and Salah is the definition of that.

        1. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          8 months, 10 hours ago

          Why find talismen after GW1 not before?

      2. Conners
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        Yep - 100% agree. Wish I'd done the same. No Salah for me on WC, but have structured my team so that I can get him back fairly easily later if need be.

        Going to risk zero 'Pool attack for now and use FH in GW4 for Burnley.

        Will bring in 1 or 2 Liverpool attackers later once the dust has settled. Possibly Gakpo + 1.

  3. MetallicaJack93
    • 2 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    Team look okay? And correct gk?

    Not sure whether to captain Palmer or Watkins, no ft

    Verbruggen
    Cucu Munoz Milen Porro
    Salah Palmer(C) Semenyo Reindeer
    Watkins (VC) Mateta
    Dub KDH Guiu Gud

    1. bobson5
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      I would play Dubravka, think his clean sheet and chances of save points are both higher

  4. circusmonkey
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    Play Anderson or Caicedo?

    1. bobson5
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      Anderson

  5. OneDennisBergkamp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    anyone looking Rico Lewis? had a great game

    1. Sun God Nika
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      pep roulette

  6. Buck The Trent
    • 14 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    Pick one to play ?

    A Van der Ven (mci)
    B Diouf (CHE)
    C Rondon (ars)

    1. bobson5
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      Not vdv. Probably go Diouf but worth considering Rodon for Defcon. Wouldn't be surprised if all 3 score 1 or 2

  7. YoungPretender
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    Best Frimpong replacement;

    A) VVD
    B) RAN
    C) Gabriel/Saliba
    D) Cucurella

    1. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      You could Lacroix to that list. It's a coin toss.

  8. bobson5
    • 15 Years
    8 months, 10 hours ago

    Which keeper and 3 defenders to start?
    Sels (cry) Dubravka (SUN)
    Porro (mci) Esteve (SUN) Cucurella (whm) Murillo (cry) Richards (NOT)

    Or play 4 defenders and bench Dewsbury-Hall?

    Thanks all

    1. AAAFootball
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        I'd say bench dub richards and then either esteve if you trust burnley or porro if you want likely 1 assist for 4 pts

        Although richards may get defcon if you dont like either of the others

    2. Nazz
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      G2G or any potential transfers I should be making?
      Correct keeper?

      GK: Petrović (WOL H)
      DEF: N. Williams (CRY A), Dorgu (FUL A), Estève (SUN H)
      MID: M. Salah (NEW A) [VC], Palmer (WHU A), Reijnders (TOT H), Dewsbury-Hall (BHA H)
      FWD: Haaland (C) (TOT H), Watkins (BRE A), Füllkrug (CHE H)

      Subs: Dúbravka (SUN H), Diouf (CHE H), King (MUN H), Van de Ven (MCI A)

      Thanks

      1. Aster
        • 5 Years
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        Correct keeper, stick

      2. bobson5
        • 15 Years
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        GTG. Done well to get Haaland, Salah, Palmer & Watkins

      3. Nazz
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 10 hours ago

        Sorry I think this easier to read

        Petrović

        N. Williams, Dorgu, Estève
        Salah (VC), Palmer, Reijnders, Dewsbury-Hall
        Haaland (C), Watkins, Füllkrug

        Subs:
        Dúbravka, Diouf, King, Van de Ven

    3. ☈☾
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 10 hours ago

      Who mid to bench?

      1. Kudus v MCI (A)
      2. Gakpo v NEW (A)

      Which def to bench?

      A. Van de Ven v MCI (A)
      B. Gudmundsson v ARS (A)

      Who to pick for the long term?

      a. Cash
      b. Konsa

      1. AAAFootball
          8 months, 10 hours ago

          Play Gakpo
          Konsa seems better

          Surely you have better options than that??
          I would bench both if at all possible

          1. ☈☾
            • 8 Years
            8 months, 10 hours ago

            I have Konsa..as my other option.

            1. AAAFootball
                8 months, 10 hours ago

                Oh. That is rough. Definitely a case for a transfer but i would sell VDV in a leaky spurs backilne .He did score in the super cup but i would ge vdv to maybe truffert, esp if you have spurs coverage in kudus.

                If you really, really have to then VDV i guess might get a fluky goal or assist.

                I can't see gudmunsson doing anything good

                1. ☈☾
                  • 8 Years
                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                  Thanks last question

                  Who to play

                  Dubravka v sun (a)
                  Pope v liverpool (h)

                  1. AAAFootball
                      8 months, 10 hours ago

                      ah this is tough also.

                      But tbh i think pope has basically zero cs chance. He also is not assured starts and that clinches it dub for me despite an impressive sunderland.

                      Any advice on Lacroix vs Porro vs Esteve vs Diouf (play 2)?

                      1. ☈☾
                        • 8 Years
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        Lacroix and Porro

                        1. AAAFootball
                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                            thx

                            WHat about kudus vs reindeer

            2. AAAFootball
                8 months, 10 hours ago

                Play 3:

                Diouf Esteve Porro Murillo Lacroix

                Im pretty set on sels ahead of dub, that sounds good to you guys?

                Also, Reijnders or Kudus (bench 1)

                1. Nazz
                  • 11 Years
                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                  Reijnders to play

                  1. AAAFootball
                      8 months, 10 hours ago

                      You think?
                      i was set to play him but spurs were really good last 2, and with their suffocating 5-3-2, maybe Kudus is the one?

                      WHat do you think of the other picks?

                2. Fpl_Ludwig
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 4 Years
                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                  Gakpo vs Gordon vs Rogers?

                  1. AAAFootball
                      8 months, 10 hours ago

                      Stick with what you have

                      Rogers might have a slight edge but none worth a transfer over others

                  2. MetallicaJack93
                    • 2 Years
                    8 months, 10 hours ago

                    Bottomed

                    Team look okay? And correct gk?

                    Not sure whether to captain Palmer or Watkins, no ft

                    Verbruggen
                    Cucu Munoz Milen Porro
                    Salah Palmer(C) Semenyo Reindeer
                    Watkins (VC) Mateta
                    Dub KDH Guiu Gud

                    1. AAAFootball
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        Looks good

                        Could bet on the fluky palace win with kdh on for milen

                        C watkins probably looked better but no clearcut benefit

                        Of course i dont like salah but that is for you to choose

                    2. el polako
                      • 8 Years
                      8 months, 10 hours ago

                      Never thought I’d be choosing between Esteve and Porro.
                      I guess it depends on my risk tolerance.

                    3. The Philosopher
                      • 5 Years
                      8 months, 10 hours ago

                      A: Konsa -> someone (FT)
                      B: Start Rodon/Esteve and roll FT

                      1. Kiwivillan
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 11 Years
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        Roll

                      2. bobson5
                        • 15 Years
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        Roll.and start Steve

                    4. agueroo
                      • 2 Years
                      8 months, 10 hours ago

                      Wirtz out
                      Semenyo in

                      Yes or no?

                      1. bobson5
                        • 15 Years
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        No

                        1. agueroo
                          • 2 Years
                          8 months, 10 hours ago

                          Why? Semenyo better form and fixtures

                          1. MetallicaJack93
                            • 2 Years
                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                            I did this

                      2. ☈☾
                        • 8 Years
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        yes

                      3. AAAFootball
                          8 months, 10 hours ago

                          Live life on the edge

                          you might as well

                      4. speardrops
                        • 13 Years
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        New GW 2 vid, made it just now (7 hrs to the deadline).

                        Ft. Best Captaincy & Player Picks
                        https://youtu.be/6DnN2iyn3T0

                        Good luck this week guys.

                      5. janlu0
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 8 Years
                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                        Good morning!
                        Is there anything obvious I need to do here?

                        Sanchez
                        Esteve, Tarkowski, Murillo
                        Salah, Palmer, Reijnders, KDH, E.Andersen
                        Haaland(c), Pedro

                        Subs: Dub, Van de Ven, AWB, M.Guiu

                        1. AAAFootball
                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                            Looks good but andersen is df and anderson with an o is mid

                            can be confusing

                        2. Justthis
                          • 7 Years
                          8 months, 10 hours ago

                          As a former one time top 10k finisher , and with 14 finishes on my record , I'd like to wish each and every one of you the best of luck for this gw.

                          Bob.

                          1. ☈☾
                            • 8 Years
                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                            xo

                          2. AAAFootball
                              8 months, 10 hours ago

                              you too man

                          3. Jimbo-Jones
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • 9 Years
                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                            MAJOR bench headache...

                            Choose 1 to bench:

                            Wirtz (new)
                            Mateta (NFO)
                            Rice (LEE)
                            Pedro (whu)
                            Reijnders (TOT)

                            Currently benching Mateta vs decent NFO defence, and played 90 last night (but scored...)

                            1. AAAFootball
                                8 months, 10 hours ago

                                yeah that is the right decision

                              • Big W
                                • 7 Years
                                8 months, 9 hours ago

                                probably Wirtz

                                1. Big W
                                  • 7 Years
                                  8 months, 9 hours ago

                                  Mateta on pens and at home, can't see wirtz getting anything away to newcastle

                            2. Stoic
                              • 9 Years
                              8 months, 10 hours ago

                              Play 1
                              A) Sanchez (whm)
                              B) Dub (SUN)

                              Play 3 amongst Richards, neco, dorgu, esteve

                              1. Jimbo-Jones
                                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                • 9 Years
                                8 months, 10 hours ago

                                Think I'd bench both Burnley boys tbh.

                              2. AAAFootball
                                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                                  yeah what he said

                              3. FCH
                                • 5 Years
                                8 months, 10 hours ago

                                Play 2:
                                A - N Williams (cry)
                                B - P Porro (mci)
                                C - Dorgu (ful)
                                D - Hartman (SUN)
                                Have Sels in goal..

                                1. AAAFootball
                                    8 months, 10 hours ago

                                    a and c

                                    d is a maverick pick
                                    b is poor but i will probably be forced into it

                                  • T.Henry14
                                    • 12 Years
                                    8 months, 10 hours ago

                                    C and D

                                2. Pedram
                                  • 12 Years
                                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                                  What would you change in this wildcard?

                                  Raya - Dubravka
                                  De Cuyper - Cucu - Dorgu - Esteve - Reinildo
                                  Palmer - Saka - Gakpo - Reijnders - Kudus
                                  Haaland - Gyok - Guiu

                                  1. Jimbo-Jones
                                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                    • 9 Years
                                    8 months, 10 hours ago

                                    Gakpo mins a bit dicey, especially if Isak transfer happens.
                                    I'd maybe go King in midfield and upgrade Guiu to a 7.5m striker (Mateta, JP, Solanke... even Evanilson)

                                  2. AAAFootball
                                      8 months, 10 hours ago

                                      Gyokeres to watkins?

                                      Looks like you are tight for cash but maybe sell cucu and spread the funds across defence?

                                  3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
                                    • 9 Years
                                    8 months, 10 hours ago

                                    Seen people mentioning Alderete as a good pick, but he didnt start last game?

                                    1. AAAFootball
                                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                                        Apparently he played well and the guy he came on for is injured. However i heard something about another cb signing so maybe a swerve for now

                                        1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
                                          • 9 Years
                                          8 months, 9 hours ago

                                          Better stay away then. Cheers!

                                      • ☈☾
                                        • 8 Years
                                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                                        Mukiele says hi

                                        1. AAAFootball
                                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                                            I remember him from ucl fantasy

                                      • Loðbrók
                                        • 11 Years
                                        8 months, 10 hours ago

                                        A) Romero + Munoz
                                        B) Porro + Richards + 0,5

                                        1. AAAFootball
                                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                                            what about porro and lacroix for better defcon/xg

                                            1. Loðbrók
                                              • 11 Years
                                              8 months, 9 hours ago

                                              Is Lacroix really better for defcon/xg, do we know that for sure?

                                              I was set on Porro, but I feel like Kudos takes away alot of his assist potential in open play..Hmm

                                        2. DagheMunegu
                                          • 5 Years
                                          8 months, 10 hours ago

                                          Who to play ?

                                          Sells Dubravka
                                          Richards Porro Andersen Rodon Van der Ven

                                          1. AAAFootball
                                              8 months, 10 hours ago

                                              Same keeper dilemma and im going sels

                                              really concerned about that back line but porro, andersen, richards seem like the best of a poor bunch

                                            • bobson5
                                              • 15 Years
                                              8 months, 10 hours ago

                                              Keeper is the only tricky decision, I would go for

                                              Sels
                                              Richards Porro Andersen

                                          2. Ray Kinsella
                                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                            • 14 Years
                                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                                            where the scout picks? they should be out 24 hours before deadline every week, as a matter of course.

                                            1. TorresMagic™
                                              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                              • Has Moderation Rights
                                              • 16 Years
                                              8 months, 10 hours ago

                                              A bit trickier on a Friday before pressers.

                                          3. Fuddled FC
                                            • 14 Years
                                            8 months, 10 hours ago

                                            This week which keeper?

                                            a) Dubravka
                                            b) Sels

                                            1. AAAFootball
                                                8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                and that is the question of the century.

                                                about 50 other people have posted this

                                                No big concensus but i feel sels as the premium has to be the favourite

                                              • bobson5
                                                • 15 Years
                                                8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                Depends if you have forest defenders or Esteve, I wouldn't be doubling up on either especially Burnley, but without any context pick Sels

                                            2. #FPLBhuna
                                              • 9 Years
                                              8 months, 10 hours ago

                                              Is this worth a bench boost?

                                              Dubravka (SUN H)
                                              Porro (MCI A) - Gabriel (LEE H) - Dorgu (FUL A)
                                              Saka (LEE H) - Palmer (WHU A) - Wirtz (NEW A) - Reijnders (TOT H) - Kudus (MCI A)
                                              Haaland (TOT H) - Pedro (WHU A)

                                              Subs: Jose Sa (BOU A) - Esteve (SUN H) - VDV (MCI A) - Guiu (BUR A)

                                              1. AAAFootball
                                                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                  not really

                                                  i would expect the whole bench to blank

                                                  1. #FPLBhuna
                                                    • 9 Years
                                                    8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                    Yeah I'm leaning towards not doing it either

                                                    Thanks

                                                • Mother Farke
                                                  • 2 Years
                                                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                  No. Don't BB while you have Guiu. Unless he starts starting games, of course.

                                              2. Egg Fried Reus 69
                                                • 8 Years
                                                8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                got 2 burnley players on my bench, esteve and dubravka worth bench boosting against sunderland at home?

                                                1. Sheffield Wednesday
                                                  • 5 Years
                                                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                  Not if you have Guiu

                                                2. Brosstan
                                                  • 11 Years
                                                  8 months, 10 hours ago

                                                  You should have 4 playing people on the bench to play BB. If you have that it could be a decent round to BB for you

                                                  1. Egg Fried Reus 69
                                                    • 8 Years
                                                    8 months, 9 hours ago

                                                    reckon guiu will start?

                                                    1. Kiwivillan
                                                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                                      • 11 Years
                                                      8 months, 9 hours ago

                                                      Doubt it

                                                3. Kiwivillan
                                                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                                  • 11 Years
                                                  8 months, 9 hours ago

                                                  I went without Burnley cheapies last week intentionally to play BB. I got 13 only thanks to Stach 8pts. Reluctantly got Verbruggen and De Cuyper who I don't really want long term and they were shorter extra time away from me getting 21pts. I can see Sunderland scoring honestly so where does that put BB this week? Could be wrong maybe Burnley keep CS