Captain Sensible

Who is the best captain for FPL Gameweek 5?

18 September 2026 256 comments
FFScout Tom FFScout Tom
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With the Gameweek 5 deadline of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) fast approaching, it’s time to have a good think about who to captain.

There were mixed fortunes in Gameweek 4 for the most popular captain picks, with Erling Haaland (£15.6m) and Joao Pedro (£7.8m) delivering nine- and 12-point hauls, respectively. Cole Palmer (£9.7m) managed only an assist, however, while Alexander Isak (£9.1m) blanked at home to Fulham.

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Now that the Manchester derby is out of the way, Bruno Fernandes (£12.0m) and Haaland return to the forefront of our minds. Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Newcastle United host the three newly promoted teams, while Pedro is a serious injury doubt for Chelsea.

So, is it worth looking beyond Haaland at the Etihad for the captaincy in FPL Gameweek 5? That’s what we’re considering in this week’s ‘Captain Sensible’ article.

First, we will assess the on-site captaincy poll, analyse myriad player and team statistics, consult the Rate My Team (RMT) points projections, and settle on a top three for the armband, ahead of Friday’s 6.30pm BST deadline.

Captaincy Poll

In a throwback to last season, Haaland holds a commanding lead in the Fantasy Football Scout captaincy poll, boasting well over 50% backing. The Norwegian has scored in each of the last three Gameweeks, claiming maximum bonus points on each occasion.

Morgan Gibbs-White (£8.0m) sits second, with just over 12% of the vote share ahead of Nottingham Forest’s home fixture against bottom-of-the-table Coventry City. Nearly 470,000 managers have transferred in the Englishman ahead of Gameweek 5.

Elsewhere, two other players have managed to garner more than 5% support: Chelsea duo Palmer and Pedro. Both players returned against Hull City last weekend, although the injury uncertainty swirling around the Brazilian surely rules him out of consideration.

Player Stats

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256 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. DJ14
    8 hours, 40 mins ago

    Kinsky Verbruggen
    Calafiori Maguire Muharemovic White Diop
    Groß MGW Mbeumo Palmer Gomez
    Haaland JP DCL

    2FT 1M ITB
    WC6 so...
    1. What should I do with JP
    2. Pretty locked on White to Munoz
    3.

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    1. DJ14
      8 hours, 20 mins ago

      3. Should I make another transfer like Gomez to ... or Maguire to Hall etc

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    2. circusmonkey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 hours, 9 mins ago

      You have enough there to bench Pedro, like most people.

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  2. Sid1891
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    8 hours, 39 mins ago

    Morning all,

    Bench one

    A Araujo
    B Tarkowski
    C Thiaw

    Cheers

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    1. DJ14
      8 hours, 17 mins ago

      A

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    2. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 hours, 16 mins ago

      A

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    3. The FPL Units
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 hours, 6 mins ago

      C

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    4. The Tonberry
      • 2 Years
      7 hours, 43 mins ago

      A

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  3. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    8 hours, 35 mins ago

    Chances of White starting?

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    1. DJ14
      8 hours, 10 mins ago

      White owner here. Not looking very likely with Timber playing 45 after White went off last game. Planning on selling

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      1. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        7 hours, 54 mins ago

        Would you still start him over Thomas and Slater, so save a FT?

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  4. KostaK
    • 5 Years
    8 hours, 35 mins ago

    Kinsky

    Gabriel califiori konsa

    Semenyo rogers kdh szobo grob

    Haaland DCL

    Verb Pedro rodon diop

    a) downgrade gab> Gvardiol/ Munoz
    b) FH

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    1. The FPL Units
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 hours, 5 mins ago

      C roll

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  5. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 12 Years
    8 hours, 26 mins ago

    donna or pickford on wc? cheers

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    1. The FPL Units
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 hours, 4 mins ago

      Pickford

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      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 12 Years
        8 hours, 4 mins ago

        cheers.

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    2. Just a fountain
      • 12 Years
      7 hours, 58 mins ago

      Donna, absolutely.

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  6. Fifa las vegas
    • 14 Years
    8 hours, 23 mins ago

    Opinions have me torn over keeping Bruno for one more week or just jump ship to MGW now and use the funds.

    Can’t really get MGW without either getting rid of Bruno of Mbeumo, and losing Bruno would allow me to get someone like Saka for Hinshelwood

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  7. Just a fountain
    • 12 Years
    8 hours, 18 mins ago

    Early transfer done for MGM. Now I need to rely on my bench for Joao Pedro.
    A. De Cuyper (ARS)
    B. Gross (ARS)
    C. Davis (eve)
    Currently on C/B/A.
    Please convince me Davis is trash.0.4xGI/90 is attractive, especially as Everton is not know to be a free scoring team. I dont feel like betting against Arsenal at this stage.

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    1. The Tonberry
      • 2 Years
      7 hours, 42 mins ago

      I'd start Gross from your bench

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    2. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 50 mins ago

      B

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  8. Shark Team
    • 9 Years
    8 hours, 13 mins ago

    Stach or MGW? For this GW only

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 14 Years
      7 hours, 52 mins ago

      MGW surely

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    2. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 50 mins ago

      MGW

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  9. ShaunGoater123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    8 hours, 9 mins ago

    Morning all,

    On WC which option do you prefer:
    A) palmer, Saka, king, Yalcoure (0.1 itb)
    B) rogers saka, enzo, yalcoure (0.6 itb)
    C) palmer, odegaard, mbuemo, yalcoure (0.5 itb)
    D) rogers, Odegaard, mbuemo & enzo (0.0 itb)

    Across all options I have gibbs- white aswell

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    1. lekalatch
      • 7 Years
      7 hours, 44 mins ago

      A or C

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    2. Camzy
      • 16 Years
      7 hours, 6 mins ago

      A I like King.

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  10. lekalatch
    • 7 Years
    8 hours, 5 mins ago

    Stick with my current team or play WC?

    Current:

    Pickford
    Calafiori O’Reilly Jacquet
    Bruno Mbeumo MGW Rogers Tzolis
    DCL Wissa

    Lammens; JP* White* Ballard

    Already got Wissa and MGW in for free transfers. So now I have to play NOR or White which isn’t ideal at all.

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    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 hours, 57 mins ago

      WC

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    2. FourLokoLeipzig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 hours, 52 mins ago

      Looks like you’d want to make a few changes there, as well as solving your immediately issue, so I’d wildcard

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    3. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      7 hours, 8 mins ago

      i would change. wc myself thes week even tough the plan was to wait one more week

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  11. Emiliano Sala
    • 10 Years
    8 hours, 5 mins ago

    would you prefer palmer or isak long term?

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    1. OptimusBlack
      • 13 Years
      7 hours, 44 mins ago

      Palmer

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    2. The Tonberry
      • 2 Years
      7 hours, 41 mins ago

      Palmer

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    3. Bavarian
      • 8 Years
      7 hours, 36 mins ago

      None

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    4. Reacher
      • 16 Years
      6 hours, 30 mins ago

      Isak

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  12. OptimusBlack
    • 13 Years
    8 hours, 5 mins ago

    Who can score more pts ?

    A- VVD KDH

    B- N.Willimas MGW -4
    already have Elnaga and Should Sell him

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    1. The Tonberry
      • 2 Years
      7 hours, 40 mins ago

      The two Forest lads will outscore VVD and KDH by more than 4 points

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      1. OptimusBlack
        • 13 Years
        7 hours, 33 mins ago

        Thank You dude

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  13. rjcv177
    • 11 Years
    8 hours, 3 mins ago

    My mid after WC4

    Palmer, mbeumo, Rogers, foden, ode

    A) foden to gross (long term)
    B) foden to h.barnes (fixture punt)
    C) foden and mbeumo to mgw+barnes
    D) other mid for foden

    Thkx in adv

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    1. Conners
      • 7 Years
      7 hours, 29 mins ago

      I personally don't think now is the time to buy Gross.

      I'd go C, with the option to move Barnes to Gross later in GW11.

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    2. OptimusBlack
      • 13 Years
      5 hours, 43 mins ago

      C

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  14. Just a fountain
    • 12 Years
    8 hours, 2 mins ago

    Another option is the FH threshold. The difference between my team and my potential team is 9.6pts according to models...
    At this stage of the season, would you FH for 5pts, 10pts, 15pts, 20 pts expected gain?
    I feel keeping the optionality is greater than 10pts for now and i still have my WC.

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  15. Stap
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    8 hours ago

    WC GW 6, would like to roll transfer, but I have Dedic, Foden, JP flagged.
    So basically I don't have a bench and have to play Ndiaye (Sun), Hume (MCI), Sangare (Che)
    Thinking of -4
    Foden > MGW
    JP > Gonzalo (want him on WC), or one week punt Barry, Wissa, Delap
    I guess I can do one week punt and buy Gonzalo with WC

    Other suggestions?

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  16. Weak Become Heros
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 58 mins ago

    Hi all, I am on FH this week - would you have Bruno and Mbuemo? Or does that seem too much, could shift Bruno to Saka?

    Brighton xGC surprisingly higher than I thought.

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    1. NotsoSpursy
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 35 mins ago

      I would get Saka on FH

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  17. Gassemannen
    • 10 Years
    7 hours, 58 mins ago

    What to do with this team?

    Kinsky - (Verbruggen)
    Gvardiol - De Cuyper - Calafiori (Dedic - Hume)
    Palmer - Semenyo - Ødegaard - Gomez (Sangare)
    Haaland - Pedro - Isak

    A: WC
    B: FH
    C: FT Pedro or Dedic/Hume

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    1. NotsoSpursy
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 36 mins ago

      Your team better shape than mine, I would just C

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  18. _Greg
    • 16 Years
    7 hours, 57 mins ago

    Between playing O'Reilly and Jacquet instead of JP, I think I'm gonna risk O'Reilly. I very much doubt Liverpool are getting a clean sheet away at Bournemouth.

    Jacquet goal defcon clean 17 pointer coming up :mrgreen:

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    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 35 mins ago

      How confident you’re that O’Rielly will start?

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      1. _Greg
        • 16 Years
        7 hours, 9 mins ago

        Not very.

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        1. el polako
          • 9 Years
          6 hours, 56 mins ago

          I think I’m selling.
          Either Munoz or Thiaw\Hall.

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    2. Camzy
      • 16 Years
      7 hours, 3 mins ago

      I don't think O'Reilly starts. No way I'd start him over Jacquet.

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  19. NotsoSpursy
    • 9 Years
    7 hours, 56 mins ago

    Bad week incoming.
    No Free Transfers

    Would you FH this? Pretty much zero cover on the bench

    Kinsky
    White* - Shaw* - Calafiori
    Cherki- Palmer- Gibbs-White- Szoboszlai
    Haaland - Pedro* - Calvert-Lewin

    Verbruggen - Diop - Slater - Hume

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    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 hours, 55 mins ago

      FH

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    2. OptimusBlack
      • 13 Years
      7 hours, 53 mins ago

      Yes
      FH

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  20. Emiliano Sala
    • 10 Years
    7 hours, 54 mins ago

    Why do I think barnes is a better option than mgw?
    Is something wrong with me?

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    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 32 mins ago

      Why?
      Your doctor didn’t tell you?

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      1. Emiliano Sala
        • 10 Years
        7 hours, 28 mins ago

        I’m a doctor
        Haven’t noticed anything yet 😀

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        1. el polako
          • 9 Years
          7 hours, 25 mins ago

          🙂

          It’s absolutely fine to play fixtures but he always seemed to me as feast or famine type of guy so be sure to ride out blanks.

          MGW will tick along nicely.
          Last week he was on 2 bonus points before his assist!

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          1. Emiliano Sala
            • 10 Years
            7 hours, 22 mins ago

            Two weeks ago he was only on 3 BP system!

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            1. Emiliano Sala
              • 10 Years
              7 hours, 22 mins ago

              And gw1 on 10

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      2. Emiliano Sala
        • 10 Years
        7 hours, 28 mins ago

        Fixtures are too good to ignore
        And this is the first season he is going to play 90 minutes every game

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        1. Emiliano Sala
          • 10 Years
          7 hours, 21 mins ago

          I’ve got delap too

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    2. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 52 mins ago

      Barnes is a great pick. Though MGW is the talisman of the team, and i would think that in 10 gw he would have accumulated more point for sure.

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  21. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 40 mins ago

    FH dilemma

    A. Bruno + Barry + Cherki + Trafford + Bogle

    Or

    B. Isak + Semenyo + KDH + Donnarumma + Muharemovic

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  22. Emiliano Sala
    • 10 Years
    7 hours, 38 mins ago

    Gonzalo and king double up too much?

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    1. Stap
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      7 hours, 5 mins ago

      Think so for now, but fixtures are good and Fulham is improving

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    2. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 54 mins ago

      yes

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  23. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 34 mins ago

    Any pressers today?

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    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 11 mins ago

      Apparently Xabi Alonso would like to redo his.

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  24. GoonerSteve
    • 16 Years
    7 hours, 28 mins ago

    De Cuyper to Neco Williams?

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    1. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 54 mins ago

      Brightons fixures in the short term looks horrible, so if no other pressing issues i would consider yes

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      1. GoonerSteve
        • 16 Years
        6 hours, 45 mins ago

        Yes no other major issue. I'm an Arsenal fan though so worried selling De Cuyper could backfire!

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  25. jcr1997
    • 5 Years
    7 hours, 26 mins ago

    Plan to WC after international break:

    Kinsky
    Calafiori Maguire Ajer Konsa
    Ndiaye Bruno Rogers Szoboslai
    Haaland Barry

    verbruggen JP Diop E.Le Fee

    a) Hold
    b) Szob > MGW

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    1. Helia
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 4 mins ago

      I'd hold

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      1. Helia
        • 11 Years
        7 hours, 2 mins ago

        I get the appeal though, I considered the same move. Found a different way to get him in though

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    2. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 55 mins ago

      i would do B

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  26. Stap
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    7 hours, 26 mins ago

    Delap / Barry / Wissa instead of JP

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    1. Three Pints of Schlager
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      7 hours ago

      I'm about joining team Delap.

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    2. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 57 mins ago

      Im leaning towards Delap

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      1. Stap
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        6 hours, 46 mins ago

        thanks! Is he sort of nailed?

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  27. ZlatanFC
    • 1 Year
    7 hours, 22 mins ago

    Any thoughts on replacements for Szoboszlai? I have 0.4 ITB which could take me to Rice but wondered if folks thought there were better long term options? Not looking for a short term punt! Thanks 🙂

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    1. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 55 mins ago

      Ødegaard? if you dont already have saka or 3 ars def.

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    2. GoonerSteve
      • 16 Years
      6 hours, 30 mins ago

      Why sell Szoboszlai?

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  28. Mino Raiola
    • 10 Years
    7 hours, 17 mins ago

    Rate my WC:)

    Kinsky
    Calfiori, Konsa, Gvardiol
    Saka, Palmer, MGW, Rogers
    Haaland(c), Delap, Berry

    Leno, Gross, Davies, Giles

    Major changes from original team is, out with: Bruno, Mbuemo, Foden, j.Pedro, Brobby, Maguire and Verbruggen.

    Alternatives considering are
    A: Berry and Palmer to J.Pedro and Ødegaard
    B: Berry and Saka to J.Pedro and Tavernier

    In both cases I would have to play Gross(ars) this week.

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    1. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 56 mins ago

      ...also removed Szobozlai

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  29. waltzingmatildas
    • 16 Years
    7 hours, 15 mins ago

    Think I'll be wildcarding over the IB, so for one gw, JP to
    A) DCL
    B) Wissa
    C) Delap

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    1. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 52 mins ago

      c

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  30. Three Pints of Schlager
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    7 hours, 14 mins ago

    JP injury can become a game changer for the FPL template.

    If that knee injury is confirmed, I expect his minutes to be managed and shared with Welbeck.

    Going against him is risky but you could profit from blanks.

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    1. Camzy
      • 16 Years
      6 hours, 52 mins ago

      I'm doing it. If the injury takes longer it's a big opportunity. And it's always just a transfer or two to buy him back.

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    2. Mino Raiola
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 50 mins ago

      I think the time is to move on. if you have palmer or rogers i think that might ease the blow if he all of a sudden magically rever to fully fet after IB.

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    3. Assisting the assister
      • 10 Years
      6 hours, 50 mins ago

      Who you bringing in? Delap?

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      1. Mino Raiola
        • 10 Years
        6 hours, 46 mins ago

        Yes I would pick him. Berry is also options. Both short term and should be part of planned rotation (eg. if you want to bench Gross this week)

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    4. Pompel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 hours, 39 mins ago

      Yes, but seems sensible to ride it out and bench this gw, and reassess for gw6.

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