Pro Pundits
30 July 2026 64 comments
Tom Hadley Tom Hadley
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Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has launched for the 2026/27 season, and the early team reveals keep coming in!

This time, we hear from Tom Hadley, who you can find here on X

He usually provides data-driven articles, chiefly around defensive contribution (DefCon) points. But in this piece, he discusses his early draft.


 

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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

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64 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Chinese_person
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 21 mins ago

    Foden is an odd choice. Too much of an unknown.

    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      2 hours, 4 mins ago

      Maresca himself came out and said he's a key player

      1. Chinese_person
        • 15 Years
        2 hours, 3 mins ago

        I wouldn't expect him to say anything else. What he actually does remains to be seen.

      2. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        3 mins ago

        He should have said "Phil has been awful for the last few season and is not in my plans"

    2. Marmalade Forest
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 28 mins ago

      Kind of what might make him an excellent pick. Or a rubbish one.

      I’d not be too surprised if he scored 30 points in the first three weeks.

      I’d also not be too surprised if he scored 3 points in the first three weeks.

      Get and captain those two or three players who score 100 points in the first three weeks

  2. TafOnTour1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 hours, 18 mins ago

    A or B here?!

    A) Declan Rice and Dominik Szoboszlai

    B) Antoine Semenyo and Enzo Le Fee.

    1. SpaceCoyote97
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 hours, 2 mins ago

      Close one, I'd say A, but working Szoboslai and Semenyo together would be great.

    2. cravencottage
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      1 hour ago

      B has more upside

  3. SpaceCoyote97
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 hours, 17 mins ago

    Lammens (Dovin)
    Guehi-De Cuyper-Mosquera (Kayode-van Ewjik)
    Szobozlai-Ndiaye-Saka-Semenyo (Hughes)
    J Pedro-Haaland-Thiago

    Any feedback? Was thinking of maybe getting 0.5 free to buffer an early transfer if needed.

    1. waltzingmatildas
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 46 mins ago

      Ndiaye is off now?

    2. Marmalade Forest
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 28 mins ago

      Boring

      1. Admiral Benson
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        1 min ago

        Boring is good in early parts of the season. Plenty of mavericks with a 8 million rank after 3 GW’s

  4. waltzingmatildas
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 51 mins ago

    Sarr or Le Fee?

    1. Dutchy FPL
      • 3 Years
      1 hour, 1 min ago

      In isolation Sarr. But it depends what you do with the extra 0.5 if you go with Le Fée

  5. davewg59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    1 hour, 50 mins ago

    Tarkowski or VVD?
    Who is the best pick?

    1. waltzingmatildas
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 48 mins ago

      VVD for me

    2. royals forever
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 34 mins ago

      Tarkowski

    3. Edvin Bakken Skaret
      1 hour, 33 mins ago

      VVD only because of fixtures

    4. Dutchy FPL
      • 3 Years
      1 hour, 28 mins ago

      VVD, better set & forget option. Better fixtures, slightly better goal treat and also good for DEFCON, just like Tarkowski. For me its worth the 0.5 more

    5. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 mins ago

      VvD

    6. Admiral Benson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      just now

      VVD

  6. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 40 mins ago

    Good afternoon all!!

    What’s everyone’s thought about when to use BB??

    1. Marmalade Forest
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 31 mins ago

      It is best to play when you have 15 players guaranteed to start, in good form, with good fixtures.

      1. Absolutely mate!! I was set on GW 2 BB but now thinking of saving it

        1. buzzkill
          • 11 Years
          just now

          Saving it for what, though? Get it out the way and drop it on GW2

    2. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 8 mins ago

      It rarely works when you expect it to, so using it pre-WC is probably a sensible approach

    3. H Dog
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 2 mins ago

      I want it out of the way, and doing it basically on a wildcard means I can target players

      Going GW2 as Sunderland, Coventry and Leeds allow for a good bench

    4. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      1 min ago

      GW1

  7. royals forever
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    1 hour, 35 mins ago

    A or B

    A: Kinsky & Spence
    B: Lammens & Shaw

    1. Dutchy FPL
      • 3 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      Don't like both options tbh. But B for more secure minutes. Spence to much risk for me with Udogie and Robertson around

      1. H Dog
        • 16 Years
        1 hour, 4 mins ago

        Agreed, would arguably say the optimal strategy is Kinsky and Shaw and 0.5 elsewhere

  8. LangerznMash
    • 10 Years
    1 hour, 30 mins ago

    Don't get the hype of the Brighton / Coventry rotation.
    Only GWs 2 (Hull) and 8 (Fulham) look like good fixtures, maybe also GW7 if Palace collapse without Glasner.
    GW3 = Leeds beat Brighton on GW37 last season so no reason they won't beat them again.
    GW4 = they play each other.

    1. H Dog
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 5 mins ago

      I’m going Vuskovic and B Thomas but not based on fixtures, instead on the merits of them regardless of fixture (DEFcon, set piece threat)

  9. Dutchy FPL
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 30 mins ago

    If Ndiaye leaves, who is expected to be on Everton pens?

    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 25 mins ago

      maybe garner or whichever new forward they add

    2. Chinese_person
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 25 mins ago

      VVD

      1. Chinese_person
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 23 mins ago

        wrong reply!

        1. Dutchy FPL
          • 3 Years
          1 hour, 18 mins ago

          Man, that would be something! 😉

    3. Jaws
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 21 mins ago

      Nobody knows yet, but they've only been awarded 3 or 4 penalties over the last 2 seasons combined, so don't get your hopes up on this one.

  10. Mouth
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 hour, 5 mins ago

    Joao Pedro, Foden and Anderson or Brobbey, Semenyo and Sarr?

    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      59 mins ago

      PFA

    2. Bertie7898
      54 mins ago

      1 but no anderson sarr or schade

    3. cravencottage
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      4 mins ago

      BSR

  11. Wirtz Nightmare
    • 1 Year
    1 hour ago

    Need palace and brighton fans for a bit of help.

    Is Canvot nailed on and is Vuskovic nailed on, grateful for any answers

    1. Ball Ake
      • 2 Years
      2 mins ago

      Vuskovic not nailed no, remains to be seen who will be first choice CB's, the fullbacks are more nailed.

  12. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    1 hour ago

    Foden over Szobo is tempting. Especially as I own Isak. Anyone agree?

    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      28 mins ago

      Its a punt. Szobo has defcons and PKs in his favor. Foden will have to contribute in terms of G/A, so pressure is on him.

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 8 Years
        1 min ago

        Will be interesting to see who takes the Liverpool PK when/if they get one.

    2. antis0cial
      • 10 Years
      1 min ago

      Szobo feels a much safer pick to start the season with. I guess we will soon see how City are looking when their pre-season friendlies get going.

  13. antis0cial
    • 10 Years
    58 mins ago

    Thoughts on best value City assets?

    I've got Haaland locked in my draft as he usually starts like a freight train. I started with Anderson as a lock, especially if no Rodri there, but I've currently got Foden and Gvardiol in my draft instead, but both feel rather punty. Are you going with 3 City, if so which ones?

    1. Jaws
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      51 mins ago

      I expect a real slow start for them. They had so many players at the World Cup, most haven't even started to train yet. If I want 1 defender, it's O'Reilly but he may not start the season in GW1.

      1. antis0cial
        • 10 Years
        2 mins ago

        Fair enough, thanks. I think if I was going 6.5 on a defender though it would have to be VVD.

    2. mattyb09
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      44 mins ago

      Too early to determine as they haven't gotten into preseason yet. Any of Foden, Doku or Cherki can make a mockery of their price.

      1. antis0cial
        • 10 Years
        16 mins ago

        True, it is a wait and see, just looking for early thoughts.

        1. mattyb09
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          1 min ago

          I think Foden initially will be the one to go for after a full summer of rest. FWIW, it seems like he has taken the WC snubbing as fuel to work harder

    3. cravencottage
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 mins ago

      Semenyo will start and score well I believe

      1. Ball Ake
        • 2 Years
        1 min ago

        He seems to have less competition on the right, Cherki and Foden both prefer to play central.

  14. paulojdsc
    • 6 Years
    26 mins ago

    Why is everybody choosing Gvardiol? He was not even a starter for a weak Croatia in WC.

    Guehi, Ruben Dias and Khusanov for the center. O'Reilly and Ait-Nouri for the left.

    Gvardiol is really going to be a regular starter?

    1. St. Stephen XI
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 min ago

      Maresca made comments to the effect that there are three pillars to his team - Haaland, Foden, Gvardiol. What he might have meant by that is TBD.

      I've got my doubts as well, but if Rodri goes does NOR move to midfield and open up space for Gvardiol?

      It's easy enough to make some adjustments once you get a look at the Community Shield, but the idea of treading carefully with City assets didn't exactly leave the club with Pep.

  15. SmasherLagru
    • 7 Years
    22 mins ago

    Is triple sunderland too much

    1. Mother Farke
      • 2 Years
      9 mins ago

      Depends if you've got a strategy to shift them once the ips FUL games are out of the way? WC, bench them, etc.

    2. ct mariner
      • 7 Years
      4 mins ago

      Not for me - Hume, Le Fee and Brobbey for BB GW1

    3. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      1 min ago

      I don't own one...

  16. Charlie Price
    • 5 Years
    9 mins ago

    Real Madrid League

    3m819x

    Maximum five places to fill in the above league. Please join if you are looking for a proper mini league which contains just 16 - 20 managers rather than ‘mini’ leagues with thousands in them.

  17. Mother Farke
    • 2 Years
    7 mins ago

    Has TorresMagic renewed LMS yet?