Eight-time top 10k finisher Zophar hosts his weekly Q&A, answering your burning questions. He shares his opinion on Arsenal assets, the best Everton midfielder, Morgan Rogers (£7.4m) and more.
You can read his Gameweek 37 team reveal here.
Q: Is William Saliba and Morgan Rogers to Michael Keane and Bukayo Saka (c) for free a good use of transfers, if chasing in a mini-league?
(via Munchen KFC)
A: I think a transfer to an Arsenal player – be it in attack or defence – has to be the priority for FPL managers this week. Looking at the goal projections, Arsenal are projected to score as many goals this Gameweek as most teams are over the next two. It is really the only fixture on paper worth attacking for the remainder of the season.
However, whether you sell an Arsenal defender to accommodate another attacker is tricky. I assume you are already tripled up on the Arsenal defence, hence the idea to sell William Saliba (£6.2m). I think I would do it, even if it leaves you with just one free transfer for Gameweek 38.
If chasing, I prefer Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m) to Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) as a differential captain. Depending on your rank tier, I think Saka’s effective ownership this Gameweek will still be fairly high, or at least higher than Gyokeres. However, Morgan Rogers (£7.4m) is perhaps more sellable than, say, Joao Pedro (£7.5m), so I get that aspect of it as well.
Q: Sell Morgan Rogers or wait a week?
(via z13)
A: I think, unless you are moving to an Arsenal attacker, the idea of saving this week makes sense. Lots could change in terms of league state by Gameweek 38 and opportunities may present themselves. If you have multiple transfers, though, I would move Rogers on, with Bruno Guimaraes (£6.8m) my favoured replacement.
That’s a theme for most of the questions this week – try to carry at least two free transfers into Gameweek 38, unless you’re using them for an Arsenal pick this week.
Q: Who is the best Hail Mary captaincy punt this Gameweek for those chasing? Burnley have conceded 157 chances this season on the right flank, the worst in the league by far. Is a Leandro Trossard captaincy punt worth a roll of the dice if you are far behind in your mini-leagues?
(via FPL Virgin)
A: I really don’t think it makes sense to look outside Arsenal this week for a differential captain. Yes, the Gunners don’t need to rely on goal difference if they win their remaining two games, but from what I know of Mikel Arteta, he is not one to leave things to chance. Racking up the goal difference against Burnley gives Arsenal a cushion in case they draw against Crystal Palace on the final day.
Leandro Trossard (£6.5m) is a decent shout. I do expect him to start on the left wing and he can be an output merchant when he’s in a good run of form. I prefer Gyokeres, though. Yes, his ownership won’t be as low as Trossard but I feel the ceiling is very high for the Swedish international. His numbers have been very impressive over the recent period, too. He’s been afforded seven big chances, with only two players ahead of him. I also think he might be the designated penalty taker now, ahead of Saka.
Ultimately, you still want the ‘Hail Mary’ pick that scores the most points. For that, I prefer Gyokeres over Trossard.
Q: I have Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Magalhaes already. Do I buy a second Arsenal attacker or a second Arsenal defender?
Q: Is triple Arsenal defence viable?
(via @LeoCarter27 and @Haz8120)
A: If you are in the position where you have just two Arsenal assets and have to pick in defence or attack, I would clearly favour the attackers for the reasons mentioned earlier (ie goal difference). I know it’s not as simple as that. Many teams have defensive issues this week, with Leeds, Bournemouth and Brighton having low clean sheet odds, but at this point, the ceiling for Arsenal attackers feels too good to pass up.
Would I come off the triple defence to get a captaincy pick? I am not so sure, but probably yes. If you have multiple transfers – move Saliba on to an Everton defender to get Gyokeres or Saka – I rate the Arsenal captaincy that highly this week. If you don’t have multiple transfers, you could just captain Gabriel Magalhaes (£7.3m) and hope for that header from a set-piece. It’s been a while! DefCon and bonus points seem unlikely, though, if he fails to get any attacking returns.
Sticking with the treble defence isn’t too bad, as the Gunners are still likely to get two clean sheets over the next two. Bruno Fernandes (£10.4m) is also a fine captaincy pick in his final home game of the season.
Q: Who is your pick if I can choose only one between Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres for the remaining two Gameweeks? I’d be captaining them in Gameweek 37. I’m chasing rank with a few differentials already in the shape of Jack Hinshelwood and Anton Stach.
(via @seraph_mufc)
A: It’s difficult to answer this question in isolation without knowing the players you are selling. For example, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) is an easier sell than someone in midfield. However, of the two, I do prefer Gyokeres this week. Saka does have the routes to points with set pieces but I think the absence of Ben White’s (£5.1m) overlapping runs on the right wing does dent Saka’s output a bit. Gyokeres is a flat-track bully with just one of his goals coming against a team in the top 10 (Bournemouth).
Q: Should I sell David Raya or Eberechi Eze to buy Viktor Gyokeres?
(via @FPLMD01)
A: I am unsure about Eberechi Eze’s (£7.3m) minutes now. Martin Odegaard (£7.8m) was impressive in his cameo last Sunday and Eze is unlikely to be shifted to the left with Trossard playing well. It’s quite clear to me: sell Eze.
Q: I have James Hill, Marcos Senesi and Jaka Bijol as options for my third defender spot but only one free transfer. Is it worth using that transfer on a defender or rolling to Gameweek 38? Also, who would you start out of those 3?
(via @FPLAkhi)
A: Several managers are in this position this week, with Brighton, Leeds and Bournemouth having poor odds for a clean sheet. I think I would just play Jaka Bijol (£3.9m) in this one. It’s Leeds last home game of the season and he’s good for DefCon.
Q: Would you choose Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall or Iliman Ndiaye – or should I just double up on them? James Tarkowski is also in my sight but I feel that Sunderland will score in this game.
(via @abdustuan)
A: I don’t think there is much to split Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£5.2m) and Iliman Ndiaye (£6.2m). You could argue that the latter is ‘due’; he’s top amongst midfielders for shots on target (eight) over the last six Gameweeks, which is rare from a usually clinical finisher. I wouldn’t double up, though. There could be a more fun punt in Gameweek 38, depending on league state.
