Scout Squad

The Scout Squad: Our top picks for FPL Gameweek 1

20 August 2026 257 comments
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All of our regular content is returning for Gameweek 1 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) this week – and the Scout Squad is no exception.

In this article, our in-house team of Sam, Marc, Tom and Neale will discuss who they think the best FPL players are for the upcoming Gameweek in isolation.

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MORE ABOUT THE SCOUT SQUAD

Scout Squad Gameweek 1

The focus is only on the upcoming Gameweek with the Scout Squad, so there’s no medium-term planning involved.

The players who get the most votes are much more likely to make the Scout Picks, although the final XI can’t exceed £83.0m – so occasionally, cheaper alternatives have to be found.

Each of our writers must meet the following requirements for this feature:

  • At least one sub-£5.0m goalkeeper
  • At least one sub-£5.0m defender
  • At least one sub-£6.0m midfielder
  • At least one sub-£7.0m forward
  • No more than three players from the same club

SCOUT SQUAD: BEST FPL PLAYERS FOR GAMEWEEK 1

 

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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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257 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Barnaby Wilde
    • 3 Years
    2 hours, 13 mins ago

    How likely is it that Rogers will start?

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      2 hours, 7 mins ago

      Quite likely.

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      1. el polako
        • 9 Years
        2 hours, 5 mins ago

        Roger that.

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  2. FPL_trail_runner
    • 6 Years
    2 hours, 13 mins ago

    Going for an agressive BB1, with either WC or FH in week 3.

    Think people are massively underlooking the mess City are in squad wise and how it will impact Haaland, and there is alot of ground to be made up targeting Fulham, Hull, Ipswich, Newcastle , Coventry the first 2 weeks with the left over funds.

    Going 3 United, 3 Chelsea, 3 Arsenal, 2 Liverpool , and some cheap punts ( De Kuper, Barry ) , also not set on Bruno captain yet, May punt on somebody else.

    Week 1 BB

    Verbruggen Lammens
    O Reilly White Calafiori De Kuper Palestra
    Bruno Mbuemo Szob Rogers Tzolis
    Isak Barry J Pedro

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    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 20 mins ago

      Donnarumma
      Nunes - Dias - Gvardiol - O'Reilly
      Anderson - Kovacic
      Cherki - Foden - Semenyo
      Haaland

      Even without signings (which they definitely will make) this is too much of a "mess" to put goals past Bournemouth, Palace and Coventry?

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  3. Jrot94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 12 mins ago

    Any other non-haaland teams have any thoughts for this BB1? Haven’t tweaked anything for a whole day now, lol

    Lammens - verb
    Calif - gvard - VVD - rodon - Hume
    Bruno mbeumo semenyo tzolis schade
    Isak Pedro brobbey

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    1. Jstap94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      1 hour, 7 mins ago

      Don't love VVD and Gvardiol, but otherwise looks decent

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  4. apprehensivepipe4
    • 5 Years
    2 hours, 10 mins ago

    RMT

    Raya (Dubravka)
    VVD, Calafiori, Gvardiol (Shaw, Davis)
    Bruno, Mbuemo, Szob, Ndiaye, Semenyo
    Isak, JP (DCL)

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  5. C. SAMBA
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 9 mins ago

    RMT please:

    Lammens
    Myko, Calafiori, Rodon
    Bruno, Mbuemo, Tzolis, Sangare
    Haalamd, JP, Isak

    Bench: Philips,

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    1. C. SAMBA
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 20 mins ago

      Greaves, Slater, Ewick

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    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 10 mins ago

      V nice !

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  6. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 11 Years
    2 hours, 8 mins ago

    Schade or Ndiaye?

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    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      2 hours, 5 mins ago

      Schade for Brentford’s fixtures.

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    2. Letsgo!
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 50 mins ago

      I will think ndiaye better

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  7. waltzingmatildas
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 5 mins ago

    Anyone got a good Gabriel, Bruno, Haaland draft they want to show off?

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    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      2 hours, 3 mins ago

      yes but its non-BB

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      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        2 hours, 1 min ago

        Yep, that's the plan, I don't think BB would be sensible with three big hitters.
        How's it looking?

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        1. Holmes
          • 12 Years
          1 hour, 56 mins ago

          Lammens
          Gabriel, Calafiori, Muharemovic, Hume
          Bruno, Mbeumo, Schade
          Haaland, Pedro, Brobbey/Dominic

          Bench: pretty much deadwood

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

            I like it.
            I think I'm on something like
            Verbruggen
            Gab Shaw Hume Rodon
            Bruno Mbeumo Sarr KDH
            Haaland Thiago

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            1. fantasyfog
              • 11 Years
              1 hour, 21 mins ago

              442, you maverick

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              1. waltzingmatildas
                • 15 Years
                1 hour, 5 mins ago

                I have Gomez too so will hopefully be able to pick switch between 442 and 352

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    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 59 mins ago

      Gab at 8 doesn't make sense anymore imo with Konsa at 4.5....assuming he signs of course

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      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 57 mins ago

        I think the plan for me would be both or downgrade Gab later. My thinking is that the first few gws are unpredictable. So, who is the most likely to reliably bring in points, those 3 are.

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      2. Qaiss
        • 10 Years
        1 hour, 49 mins ago

        When you look at the points of last season, it does. Saliba and Gabriel both started 30 games in the league and Gabriel scored 72 more points than him by the end of the season

        That’s for a reason, it’s just people are trying to squeeze Haaland and Fernandes in, so looking to get away without Gabriel

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    3. Sparkys Barmy Army
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 52 mins ago

      Kinsky
      Gab - Cala - Rodon - Shaw
      BrunoF- Semenyo - Mbeumo - Tzolis - Sangare
      Haaland

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      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 36 mins ago

        Interesting, one up front. I seem to remember some stats about forwards not being good value

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    4. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 51 mins ago

      Yes but I don’t wanna show it off

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    5. Amartey Partey
      • 7 Years
      1 hour, 50 mins ago

      Vebruggen
      Gabriel, Calafori, Maguire
      Bruno, Szob, Tzolis, Schade, Ndiaye
      Haaland, J Pedro

      Steele, Davis, Thomas, Walle Egeli

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      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 35 mins ago

        Like it. I am considering no Mbeumo, but having as an option to other 7.5/8 players is interesting

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  8. Amartey Partey
    • 7 Years
    2 hours, 4 mins ago

    I have more FOMO about not owning Gabriel than Haaland.

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    1. FPL Emu
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 8 mins ago

      GW1 will cure that, dont worry

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  9. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 9 Years
    2 hours, 3 mins ago

    Is Ngumoha and Chiesa the only available RW for Liverpool? Frimpong to get some minutes at RW perhaps? Thoughts?

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  10. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 12 Years
    2 hours, 1 min ago

    A emersonn and hinchelwood
    B Igor and gross

    On BB
    Cheers

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  11. fantasyfog
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 59 mins ago

    So this leaves me with 1mil itb, BB week 2 is the plan, planning to downgrade either Haaland or Bruno to spread funds when we know who's hot and who's not

    Rushworth Kinsky
    van Ewijk Rodon Shaw Ballard Hume
    Szoboszlai B.Fernandes Mbeumo E.Le Fée Groß
    João Pedro Calvert-Lewin Haaland

    Any thoughts or better options available??

    All replies appreciated

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    1. Zero
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 29 mins ago

      That's the template basically with a weaker defense. Safe.

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      1. fantasyfog
        • 11 Years
        1 hour, 21 mins ago

        Is it? That can't be a bad thing, template on here or generally, what's the template defense then?

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    2. The Tonberry
      • 2 Years
      1 hour, 19 mins ago

      Triple Sunderland (and double Coventry) with just one player from Arsenal and City combined feels off balance. Also think Shaw is a bit more of a risk now.

      I'd use the 1.0 to upgrade Ballard to Calafiori and Shaw to Maguire

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      1. fantasyfog
        • 11 Years
        1 hour, 11 mins ago

        Targeting early fixtures, cov for BB2 against hull, Sunderland early fixtures really good and settled with team from last year, the 1 mil is to protect from price rises, we'll have a much better idea after a few gameweeks on who we need, agree re Shaw, but he'll be one I'll upgrade after selling Bruno or Haaland.

        Appreciate your thoughts though

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  12. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 55 mins ago

    A) Which 4.0 defs to choose?
    B) Schade/Ndiaye worth rotating? Or go Szobo + 5.0 mid?

    Kinsky (Verbrugen)

    Calafiori Shaw White (Diop O'Nien)
    Bruno Mbeumo Tzolis Ndiaye (Schade)
    Pedro Haaland DCL

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  13. FPL Emu
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 54 mins ago

    How would you rate the nailed on-ness of these players for the first 3 gameweeks, in % ?

    A) A. Robertson

    B) Wissa

    C) Richarlison

    D) Kerkez

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    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 52 mins ago

      50
      75
      75
      95

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      1. FPL Emu
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 11 mins ago

        Interesting. Robertson that low puts me off getting him.

        Being fancy with Wissa isn't great if he doesn't play either

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  14. Zero
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 53 mins ago

    Think I'm almost there folks:

    Kinksy -- 4.0
    Gabriel -- De Cuyper -- Truffert -- Muharemovic -- 4.0
    Mbeumo -- Tzolis -- Hinshelwood -- Schade -- Sangare (Brentford)
    Haaland -- Isak -- JPedro

    > No Bruno though.

    Thanks for any opinions!

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    1. OptimusBlack
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      you can get rid of Gabriel and then upgrade all defenders just Keep Muharemovic

      also you need to upgrade ur Mid players

      do u have and any money ITB ?

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    2. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 19 mins ago

      Bruno could do well early fixtures, I definitely want him at least first 2

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  15. Letsgo!
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 51 mins ago

    Hinshelwood or gross?

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    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 29 mins ago

      On Hins personally, more involved in attack than Groß. With Groß you're very dependant on set-pieces and pens(if he's still on them).

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    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 28 mins ago

      Both have pros and cons.

      Jack Hinshelwood if you can afford him?

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    3. FantasyTony
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 25 mins ago

      I'm on Groß but I like Hinshelwood at 10. Not sure if he'll definitely play there though.

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      1. Ball Ake
        • 2 Years
        1 hour, 8 mins ago

        He will.

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  16. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    1 hour, 50 mins ago

    I've been set up around this squad for a week, would you switch Konsa to someone like Dunk for now?

    £1m itb

    Pickford
    Calafiori, Aina, Gvardiol.
    B.Fernandes, Mbeumo, Ndiaye, Semenyo.
    Havertz, João Pedro, Thiago.

    Bench: Steele, Sarr, Konsa, Mukiele.

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    1. How I met your Mata
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      prob go rodon

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    2. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 18 mins ago

      I like the havertz pick, obviously unlikely to play 90 with Gykores there, slightly risky but I like it

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  17. OptimusBlack
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 48 mins ago

    Which is better ??

    A- VVD Szoboszlai Calvert-Lewin

    B- Maguire Groß Isak

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    1. Zero
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 28 mins ago

      B for me - higher ceiling. A with the lower floor though.

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      1. Zero
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        1 hour, 28 mins ago

        *higher

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    2. How I met your Mata
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      a

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  18. Jönny
    • 17 Years
    1 hour, 47 mins ago

    I'm pretty much set, just working out final defender, mid, and forward. Plan is BB2, possible FH3, likely WC4 or 5.

    Lammens / Kinsky
    Gabriel, Muharemovic, Virgil, Thomas [?]
    Bruno F, Mbuemo, Tzolis, Rogers [?]
    Isak, J.Pedro [?]

    16.5 to spend.

    I am thinking Robertson (4.5), Kluivert (6) and DCL (6) .... missing any obvious better options??

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    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      58 mins ago

      I wouldn't have VVD, especially with Gab

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      1. Jönny
        • 17 Years
        1 min ago

        Does feel a bit extravagant. I may talk myself into downgrading to a 5.0 and spending a bit more in midfield.

        Just quite like having a bunch of massive, DC-gobbling, set piece menaces in the side.

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    2. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      53 mins ago

      Hanging out the back of it ... 😆

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  19. How I met your Mata
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 46 mins ago

    if you are on BB GW1 are you better going with onein than Ipswich def?

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    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      53 mins ago

      Yes. I am..

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  20. Sid07
    • 12 Years
    1 hour, 44 mins ago

    Suggestions

    Kinsky (Verbrugen)
    Calafiori Maguire Ajer (kadiougli hume)
    Bruno Mbeumo szobo Ndiaye (Sangare)
    Pedro Haaland DCL

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    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      55 mins ago

      Nice team. What's the plan?

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  21. S.Kuqi
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 43 mins ago

    Best 4.5 def for gw1 only? Is there any other decent option than Rodon?

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    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      54 mins ago

      Yes. Both Hume and Shaw.

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    2. Ale Seizer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      50 mins ago

      Aina?

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  22. I Must Break You
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 40 mins ago

    “Erling Haaland is an obvious choice for me, despite what happened at Wembley“

    What happened at Wembley? Is Marc not a fan of the Weeknd ?

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  23. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    1 hour, 39 mins ago

    Are we all using the lovely FDR tool? If you switch to list view, you get 5 weeks of ticker ... 🙂

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    1. Fitzy.
      • 14 Years
      47 mins ago

      You need to bring back your ticker... 🙂

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      1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        45 mins ago

        Ah, yes. 🙂

        Sadly, those days have departed. Now I feed off others. But I am buggered if I will pay £50.00 for LazyFPL.

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    2. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      46 mins ago

      I'm using the official premier league FDR

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      1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        44 mins ago

        Good man. Wonderful tool!

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  24. Kodap
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 38 mins ago

    How does it look? Planning on getting the BB out the way GW1!

    Lammens
    Muharemovic - Calafiori - Hume
    Wirtz - Bruno - Hinshelwood - Tzolis
    DCL - Haaland - Pedro

    Verbrug - Sangare - De Cuyper - Shaw

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    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      48 mins ago

      Sound! But not as good as mine ... 😉

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  25. MetallicaJack93
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 37 mins ago

    How does this look? No immediate chip strategy

    Kinsky
    Cala White Maguire
    Bruno Mbeumo Semenyo Grob
    Haaland Pedro DCL
    Dub Slater Thomas Van Ejwik

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    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      46 mins ago

      Excellent. Although your bench is a car crash ... 😀

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  26. TafOnTour1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    1 hour, 37 mins ago

    Morgan Rogers I feel is being massively overlooked around these here parts - excellent season last season, playing under Xabi Alonso, no midweek matches given no European football, and Chelsea have recruited well this summer. Think he might be quite the bargain at £7.5m this season?!

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    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 34 mins ago

      Sure.
      Once United plum fixtures are done, and before Chelsea plays Hull - Mbuemo to Rogers will be a popular move.

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      1. TafOnTour1
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        1 hour, 32 mins ago

        Even then, Chelsea's first 10 fixtures (barring Arsenal away and Manchester United at home), look pretty favourable to me?! And Chelsea's sole focus this season will absolutely be on the Premier League.

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        1. el polako
          • 9 Years
          1 hour, 30 mins ago

          Chelsea fixtures are only part of the story.
          You need to also look at fixtures of the guys who are currently a template midfielders.
          You can only have 5 of them.

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    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 24 mins ago

      Is he up to speed, to start?

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      1. TafOnTour1
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        1 hour, 3 mins ago

        He started in Chelsea's last pre-season match, so I assume so?!

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  27. sk24
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 35 mins ago

    A) Le Fee
    B) Ndiaye

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    1. TafOnTour1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      1 hour, 32 mins ago

      Le Fee and it's not even close. Ndiaye is a massively overrated pick this season.

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        1 hour, 23 mins ago

        Why do you say that on Ndiaye, I think he's quietly effective and on set pieces

        But it does depend how Everton start, to some extent

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        1. TafOnTour1
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 2 Years
          1 hour, 19 mins ago

          Only 15 goals in 65 Premier League matches for Everton, only 6 last season (most matches he couldn't hit a barn door, see the Manchester City home match last season where they drew 3-3), and the set pieces thing is overblown here, with Everton only being awarded TWO all season. If I were to get an Everton player in, it would absolutely be KDH for £0.5m more, who is the focal point of Everton's attack.

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          1. x.jim.x
            • 11 Years
            1 hour, 16 mins ago

            What's Le Fee's goal to game rate?

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  28. Voodooray
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 34 mins ago

    RMT Please…BBW2

    Bert
    White Shaw Calafiori
    Tzolis Bruno Ndiaye Mbuemo
    Haaland JP Igor Jesus

    Kinsky E Le Fee Thomas Van Ewiijk

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    1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      40 mins ago

      Bench too weak.

      Too much Arsenal for BB2, imho.

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  29. thetommy14
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 32 mins ago

    Already have and only Raya for Arsenal defence.

    A) Calafiori (no bench cover)
    Or
    B) De Cuyper and Muharemovic rotation

    Which option?

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    1. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 8 mins ago

      B will be more fun

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    2. Stimps
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 2 mins ago

      For how long will De Cuyper keep his place? Won't be much rotation there

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  30. Barnaby Wilde
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 26 mins ago

    Where’s the captain poll ?

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    1. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      36 mins ago

      Haaland 50%
      Bruno 49%
      Tzolis 1%

      You're welcome

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    2. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      33 mins ago

      Top of page, Left, second item down.

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