Opinion
30 September 2018 1747 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

It’s that time of the week again when we give Fantasy Premier League managers the chance to put questions to our panel.

If you have a burning query as you prepare for Gameweek 8 then we are here to help.

We’ve assembled another panel of three top-drawer Fantasy managers this week and will be bringing you a different trio for each Gameweek over the course of the season.

You can find out what their answers are on Tuesday.

Who’s on the panel this week?

Lejuan Basson – A South African-based elite FPL manager, who finished 24th in the world in 2017/18.

Ben Crabtree – The overall winner of FPL in 2016/17 and proud Evertonian who refuses to field Liverpool players!

WGTA (Tom) – One half of the tremendously popular Who Got the Assist? podcast and Twitter account.

Submit your questions here

Make sure you drop your question in the Google Form below.

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of £15.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT MEMBER

  1. ChristoBisto
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Up to 176 OR. Having benched 21 points in goalies over the last 2 weeks!

    1. ChristoBisto
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Oops, top of the page brag post!

    2. Demel
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Congrats. I am not too far behind you. I have never owned Mane or Rich and got every captaincy decision wrong. What might have been! At least I still have all of my chips intact.

    3. Jealous Viper
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Congrats. Excellent work and deserved brag

    4. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Tell me how it's like up there, should be there by GW38. 🙂

  2. HD7
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Was Walcot to Richa stupid decision ?
    If we talk about GW7 then yes... but most of us did this transfer in the long term, right 🙂

    1. Klein
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      I think it will turn gold in the long run. Rich was lively

  3. Scotty B
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Son (c)?

    1. Jealous Viper
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Big differential. Depends on your comfort with risk and how maverick you are. Also maybe depends on your rank. Son has looked so so but at home against Cardiff is tempting. Keep an eye on how many mins he plays in the Barca game

  4. Demel
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    I will be dedicating the next few weeks to working out how I can get Salah, KDB, Mendy, and possibly Mitro back into my team (whilst others are looking to lose them).

  5. Jealous Viper
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Wanted to go Aguero and Lowton to Kane and Doherty start of the week for a hit. Decided not to. 15 point swing or thereabouts. Ouch

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      I did Mendy to Doherty, but decided to wait one week before Wilson to Kane. At least I still can hope Wilson to score, but...

  6. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Team for next GW will be:

    Ederson
    Bennett - Alonso - Trippier
    Fraser - Maddison - Hazard - Richarlison - Mane
    Aguero - Mitrovic
    ____________________________________
    Hamer: AWB, Robertson, Ings

    2.2 ITB, 0FT

    Any changes needed to this in your opinion guys?
    I'm trying hard not to pull the trigger on Aguero > Kane

    Appreciate any input 🙂

    1. stat
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Start AWB over Bennett.
        Probably likelier to keep a CS and has more attacking threat.

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          That's true, forgot for a moment there CPL were at home. Cheers bud

      • Vamos
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Nicely balanced team. Should serve you well.

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Cheers Vamos, missed your comment there 🙂

    2. Georgeyboy33
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Thoughts on my team please?

      Hennessey
      Alonso Trippier Robertson AWB
      Hazard Maddison Fraser
      Aguero Kane Mitro

      Hamer Bennett Milner Hojberg

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Solid

    3. dan_247
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Hi all

      Any advise on this lot? 1ft and 0.4 ITB. Thanks

      Rui Hamer
      Robbo Alonso Shaw AWB Tomkins
      Mane Madderson Richarl Gunnarson Bilva
      Kane Kun Zaha

      Many thanks

      1. Georgeyboy33
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Shaw & Bilva -> Trippier & Fraser?

    4. Jealous Viper
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      To think that Ben Crabtree won it without fielding Liverpool players is just exceptional. Crazy amounts of skill. Wondered how he got on last year without Salah though

      1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        "skill"

        1. Epic Fail
          • 15 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          😀

        2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
          • 16 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Hahaha

          Yes all them late nights working out them tough equations. Obviously born with a talent 😉

      2. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        You mean luck?

        1. Jealous Viper
          • 7 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Depends on his finishes in the years after of which I'm not sure but to win this whole thing is no small feat and even more so when you put further restrictions on yourself. He could have caved in easily when he saw he had a shot at it and brought in Liverpool players

          1. Salah’s Sonnet
            • 14 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            Yeah it's still luck

      3. stat
          7 years, 3 months ago

          He finished with an OR of 1,067,742.

          Before that he had an average OR of 65,532 over 8 seasons,

          1. Jealous Viper
            • 7 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            Reall bad finish last year but an average overall of 65k previously is extremely decent coupled with a 1st place title and indicates skill not luck as some may try insinuate

            1. Epic Fail
              • 15 Years
              7 years, 3 months ago

              Nobody can win FPL with skill. Skill will get you a high rank, but you have to have luck to push you all the way.

              1. Jealous Viper
                • 7 Years
                7 years, 3 months ago

                Agreed but to still have subsequent decent finishes in previous seasons with one bad season as an outlier shows he also isnt lacking in the skill aspect

                1. Epic Fail
                  • 15 Years
                  7 years, 3 months ago

                  I'm not sure I'd call an average rank of 65k any good, but maybe my standards are through the roof. 😀

                  1. stat
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Keep in mind that he's been playing without Liverpool players all these seasons. I'm sure if he didn't have that silly rule he'd have a better average. The guy went without Suarez in 13/14 and Salah in 17/18.

                      1. Jealous Viper
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        It's really because of that caveat my respect increases. Game is tough enough as it is. Imagine telling yourself I'm only going to use 95m budget throughout the season and still having a respectable finish. Very impressive imo

                      2. SalahFingers
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Self Imposed rule, then talks about skill?

                        65k is not that great a rank around here. Bragging about not having liverpool players is all on him, not a sign of skill. Being biased in a game like this is a bad thing, not a good thing.

                        1. stat
                            7 years, 3 months ago

                            On the one hand, playing FPL with stupid rules like "No Liverpool players" means that your options become limited compared to nearly every other FPL manager so you're putting yourself at a disadvantage just because you don't like Liverpool.

                            On the other hand, managing to average 65K over 8 seasons without any Liverpool players is commendable, and winning FPL without any Liverpool players is also quite an interesting feat (although there's no chance he could have done that in 13/14 or 17/18). But of course he had a great deal of luck along the way.

                            It's an interesting and peculiar scenario but I agree with you, if you want to make good decisions in FPL you have to let go of your team/player biases.

                2. stat
                    7 years, 3 months ago

                    It's a combination of the two. Personally I feel like his overall ranks are generally pretty good considering that he went without Liverpool players (no Suarez in 13/14, no Salah in 17/18) so he deserves credit for that.

                    Still can't imagine playing FPL with silly constraints like that though, would ruin the fun of the game for me. 🙂

              2. LSK
                • 7 Years
                7 years, 3 months ago

                Liverpool weren’t as essential that season. Mane, Firmino and Coutinho did well but there were players that did just as well and not having them would have saved him on transfers in and out. Since then I’ve often wondered if it would be a viable tactic to pick a top 6 team (Arsenal or Utd probably) and intentionally ignore them for the whole season, regardless of form and fixtures. Might seem stupid but so many would have avoided bringing Mkhi in needlessly before removing him 1/2 weeks later. So many lesser sides now that you can’t have every top 6 option against a bottom 6 side and this is a sure fire way of saving transfers.

                1. stat
                    7 years, 3 months ago

                    But on the other hand it can backfire completely if you end up not being able to bring in 13/14 Suarez or 17/18 Salah into your team. Imagine playing FPL and watching them score haul after haul and still not bringing them into your team... nightmare.

                    1. Mysterion
                      • 7 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Yeah the season he won, the stars really did align for him because of the point spread at Liverpool and no clear talisman like Suarez, Salah...

                      1. stat
                          7 years, 3 months ago

                          That's true, though if we're talking about average finishes I'm sure he would have done better if he didn't have that rule in place

                      2. LSK
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Lol yeah but then you cheat and do it anyway. Rules are there to be broken. So for a Suarez/Salah situation you change tactics. But for Arsenal, Utd and maybe even Tottenham this year you might haven gotten away with it and saved yourself needlessly transferring players around and concentrating on more pressing issues. I’ve never actually done it but every year I consider it (since Crabtree’s success)

                        1. stat
                            7 years, 3 months ago

                            Then what's the point? You're basically saying "I won't bring in players from X team unless they are essential".

                            1. LSK
                              • 7 Years
                              7 years, 3 months ago

                              It’s just an idea. Crabtree won doing it and whereas most see him as being disadvantaged by winning it without Liverpool I’ve wondered if it might not be an advantage. E.g if I’d decided to go without United I would have taken Mane instead of Sanchez to begin with. If I’d picked Arsenal to go without Sanchez would have become Hazard instead of Mkhi and then two weeks later Hazard for a hit. I’m just saying that trying to cover all the big teams for all their strong fixture runs is impossible and one way to do it would be to pick a team and pretend they don’t exist...but if it doesn’t work and somebody from that team becomes a standout option, scoring every week of course you change.

                              1. stat
                                  7 years, 3 months ago

                                  But Crabtree did it because he's an Everton fan and can't stand bringing in any Liverpool players, not because he thought he'd lose points by wasting transfers on Liverpool players.

                                  It's easy to say who you would have gone without in hindsight but I don't really see the point of it. What if Son was in a decent run of form, but not essential, and you wanted to bring him in? Would you not do it because you randomly decided to go without Spurs player unless they became essential?

                    2. Fpl Richie
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 10 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Patricio
                      Shaw Alonso Robertson
                      Richarlison Mane Pogba Maddison
                      Kun Mitrovic Kane
                      Hamer AWB Stephens* Peltier*
                      0.8itb 1ft

                      Best move?
                      Looking for one week punt ahead of WC. Obviously risky with no Hazard until then. Hopefully I can last.
                      A. Pogba to Son
                      B. Robbo to Trippier
                      C. Other

                      1. Old Gregg
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        C) Shaw + Pogba > Doherty/Jonny + Haz

                      2. FPL Touches
                        • 14 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Risky without Hazard at any point in current form

                    3. Demel
                      • 14 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      The Robertson and TAA double up looks very appealing after this week's game.

                      1. Jealous Viper
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Until Klopp starts Moreno and Clyne

                      2. ChristoBisto
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Been eyeing this up too.

                    4. HD7
                      • 8 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Good strategy?

                      De Gea
                      Walker Robbo WanB Alonso
                      Hazard Richa Mane Fraser
                      Zaha Aguero

                      Subs: Hamer, Tomkins, Hughes, Kamara

                      Plan:
                      GW8: Save
                      GW:9 De Gea to Ederson
                      GW10: Walker Mane Fraser to TAA Salah Maddison (-4)
                      GW11: Zaha to Arnie

                    5. Rinseboy
                      • 13 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Schurle to Fraser or Knockeart worth a -4?

                    6. Fpl Richie
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 10 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      When do we think KDB will be back?
                      Hoping I might get cheap on WC

                      1. Sharpe Shuffle
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        November

                    7. Fernando Torres
                      • 14 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Aguero to Kane?

                      First to 2. Chasing in my ML by 20 points.

                      1. Epic Fail
                        • 15 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        No

                      2. STEP rOVERS
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        So last week

                      3. Jealous Viper
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Yes for me. Not for a hit but if you can make it work with a ft. Even better if you still have your WC but personally I'll hold on to Kane even after Cardiff and just cap Mo

                      4. Fernando Torres
                        • 14 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Thanks guys.

                    8. DA Minnion (Former great)
                      • 13 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Aguero to Kane for free?

                    9. istanbul05
                      • 12 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      WC activated last night. Marks out of 10?

                      Hart, Patricio,
                      Alonso, TAA, Trippier, Doherty, AWB,
                      Haz, Mane, Richarlison, Maddison, Stephens,
                      Kane, Mitrovic, Arnie.

                      1. Epic Fail
                        • 15 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        10

                      2. STEP rOVERS
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Marks out of 15 would be better.... but anyway for your Q = 9.5

                      3. Bob McMayday
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Like it. 10

                    10. Baked baines
                      • 11 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Can't believe the amount of transfers flying about involving Kane tonight. Yes, he looks like he's rising tonight, yes he has Cardiff at home next game . But his team have one of the hardest matches in world football first in mid week and talks of taking Aguero out too. Its all gone crazy!!! So much can happen before that Cardiff game!

                      1. Vamos
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        It's nuts... I always wait until the last minute. Been forced into -4 hits so many times over the years. I have poor Team Value but I'd rather that.

                        1. Baked baines
                          • 11 Years
                          7 years, 3 months ago

                          Definitely, weigh up all the options first and see what happens after the champions league game. But taking Aguero out in the process is bonkers. Jesus does not look in favour at all with Pep and cant trust him at the moment. Will play Aguero full 90 against Liverpool!

                      2. Jealous Viper
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Also he can score against Barca and then score a hatty against the worst team in the league at home

                        1. Baked baines
                          • 11 Years
                          7 years, 3 months ago

                          Bookmark this***
                          He won't score against Barca! By the time the Cardiff game comes he will be lethargic and a broken man.

                      3. FPL Forward Thinker
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        It’s a gamble. When the fun stops, STOP

                    11. Vamos
                      • 8 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Realised recently that you've only got about a week of a player being a true differential in the modern FPL game.

                      If they're a heavy hitter or a total bargain, everyone notices and covers them within a week. I thought I was being pretty smart getting Kane in last week but he'll be covered by Friday night.

                      The real trick is catching those players for 3 or 4 weeks before people catch on. Arnautovic. Sterling. Son. Etc. That's where you can make up some ground...

                      1. Jealous Viper
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Yeah. That's really what separates the top from the rest. Getting on the train first before others hop on. Knockaert, Duffy, Newcastle def, Arnie like you said are ones to keep an eye on. Somehow I also didnt get on the Doherty train despite seeing it pretty early

                      2. Sharpe Shuffle
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Also if you’re early on Kane, you can be early on the next one (Liverpool assets for GW9) and not scrambling to catch up

                        1. Vamos
                          • 8 Years
                          7 years, 3 months ago

                          It's why I'm holding Salah this week and hiding behind the sofa for Hazards game against Southampton.

                          I think people will be tearing their teams up in a fortnight to get him back in.

                          1. Sharpe Shuffle
                            • 10 Years
                            7 years, 3 months ago

                            Good move. Hazard never does much away from home (Hazard and Kane owner, looking at dumping Aguero to get Salah for GW9)

                          2. Jealous Viper
                            • 7 Years
                            7 years, 3 months ago

                            Or you could just get both

                            1. Vamos
                              • 8 Years
                              7 years, 3 months ago

                              I wondered about Salah to Hazard this week then Hazard to Salah the one after.

                              But I have other cities to put out!

                              1. Vamos
                                • 8 Years
                                7 years, 3 months ago

                                * fires

                    12. Team Cruel
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 10 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Pogba, Aguero > Knockaert, Kane + 1.3 ITB worth 2FTs?

                      1. FPL Virgin
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 9 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        I'm doing it unless something unexpected happens midweek.

                    13. Sweetboi
                      • 10 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Does anyone know how to find out how many of the Top 10k have used a chip?

                      Thanks in advance.

                        1. Sweetboi
                          • 10 Years
                          7 years, 3 months ago

                          Thanks bud.

                      1. ChristoBisto
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Wasn't there an aisle on that just this week?

                      2. ChristoBisto
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        *article

                    14. FPL Maldini
                      • 11 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Choose one....

                      A) Lukaku

                      B) Auba

                      1. Vamos
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Don't see where Lukaku is getting a brace from right now. No supply or confidence.

                        Arsenal are scoring more but seem to be taking Europe seriously and I prefer Lacazette.

                        I'd go for Arnie, Vardy or Sterling over either myself

                      2. Sharpe Shuffle
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Neither

                      3. Vamos
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Of the two, Auba though

                    15. Andy Mac
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 8 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      2FT. Considering doing:
                      Ederson-Lukaku > Patricio-Kane

                      Should I do it??!!

                      Attack would be: Aguero - Kane - Mitro btw...

                      1. FPL Forward Thinker
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Sounds fun

                    16. Agger
                      • 9 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      I genuinely don't understand the talk of getting rid of Aguero.
                      Liverpool v Man City always have goals.. and I don't know the exact stat but hasn't Aguero scored in almost all of his recent games at Anfield in the league?
                      He's got as good of a chance to score as many other game!

                      1. Mysterion
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        He's playing through pain apparently, hence the limited minutes... and the stat is that he's never scored at Anfield 🙂

                      2. Jealous Viper
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Huh. If I'm not mistaken, he has am awful record at Anfield. Domt think he has ever scored there. Think he has 6 in 12 against Liverpool in the league and all at home and Pool defence looking resolute

                    17. Manani
                      • 14 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      wilson>kane (-4)??

                      1. Epic Fail
                        • 15 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Sure

                      2. Team Cruel
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        As a part of Salah>Stephens?

                        1. Manani
                          • 14 Years
                          7 years, 3 months ago

                          Salah>Hazard, also downgraded Mendy the week before

                    18. SheBangsTheDrums
                      • 10 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Hit WC last night - how's this draft look?

                      Hart Patricio
                      Alonso TAA Duffy AWB Bennett
                      Hazard Mane Richarlison Fraser Ward
                      Kun Kane Ings

                      1. Vamos
                        • 8 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        I'm looking pretty similar, but am contemplating downgrading Alonso and turning Mane into Sterling, Richarlison into Dilva or Ings into Arnie.

                    19. Scotty B
                      • 13 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Wish i would have stuck to my original plan of playing Cook ahead of TAA this week.

                      Hopefully Palace and even better if Zaha score tomorrow

                      1. Jealous Viper
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Good chance you don't regret that. Cook can easily score less than Trent. Goals galore hopefully

                    20. Coaly
                      • 13 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Should I take a hit for Kane, then WC

                      or

                      just use free hit this week

                      1. FPL Forward Thinker
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        A

                    21. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
                      • 10 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Mitrovic to Arnie??

                      1. Sharpe Shuffle
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Seems like a luxury move. Both could score well

                    22. CatMac
                      • 16 Years
                      7 years, 3 months ago

                      Can anyone help, I'm going round in circles?

                      A) Salah, Moura, Lacazette
                      B) Hazard, Mane, Lacazette
                      C) Salah, Hazard, Mitro/Arnie

                      1. FPL Forward Thinker
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 7 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        C with Arnautovic

                      2. Haggis
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        C

                      3. Sharpe Shuffle
                        • 10 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        C with Arnie.

                        I wouldn’t get Moura after watching the last couple of Spurs games

                      4. CatMac
                        • 16 Years
                        7 years, 3 months ago

                        Cheers guys, looks like C it is!