Opinion

Why I’m considering a Liverpool defensive double-up

The festive period is always an exciting time of the season for FPL managers but boy was it hectic.

It feels good to return to normality now with more time to mull over our transfer decisions each week.

Time to double up on the Liverpool defence?

The Reds have been rock solid defensively this season with Virgil van Dijk (£6.4m) keeping everything under control and Alisson (£5.9m) performing much better than his predecessors.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have conceded just ten goals in their opening twenty-one matches and they face just one of the current top six in the next ten Gameweeks (Manchester United away in Gameweek 27).

A defenesive double up looks good on paper with any combination of Andrew Robertson (£6.6m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.2m), van Dijk or Alisson likely to bring home the clean sheet points for managers between now and the next international break (yes there is another one).

Will Eden Hazard troll his owners again?

The Belgian has frustrated his backers in recent weeks with three blanks in his last four appearances against Leicester, Crystal Palace and Southampton.

Patience is required with Eden Hazard (£11.1m) as often has been the case. He’s an FPL asset that must be held long term to reap the benefits as his hauls are unpredictable. Watch him bag a brace this weekend to stick it to the sellers.

Despite three blanks in the last four, Hazard ranks first alongside Richarlison (£6.9m) among midfielders for shots in the box (10) over the same period as well as creating ten chances for his team mates. Some would say he’s due…

Why sell Richarlison before Bournemouth at home?

The Brazilian is the second most-transferred out player ahead of Gameweek 22 with more than 110,000 sales. Only his fellow countryman Felipe Anderson (£7.4m) has been shipped by more managers this week.

Selling Richarlison ahead of a plum home tie is risky business. The Cherries have conceded eighteen goals in the last six Gameweeks!

The Toffees looked jaded in the 1-0 defeat to Leicester back in Gameweek 21, but a rest for some of their first-team players in the FA Cup should see them looking much fresher in Sunday’s matchup at Goodison Park.

Raheem the dream differential?

Raheem Sterling (£11.3m) has eighteen attacking returns (nine goals, nine assists) in eighteen appearances in 2018/19, yet is owned by just 10.2% of managers ahead of Monday’s home tie against Wolves.

For those managers who are down the rankings or are chasing a lead in a mini-league, the Englishman could prove to be a devastating differential over the coming weeks.

Manchester City gave us a timely reminder of what they can do to teams with a 9-0 thrashing of Burton Albion in the EFL Cup midweek. Sterling was an unused substitute in that match which makes him even more appealing for Gameweek 22, maybe even as captain.

Is Marcus Rashford being overhyped?

The young striker has been excellent since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took the reins at Old Trafford, scoring 31 FPL points, but is his place in the starting XI as secure as most people seem to think?

There’s a lot of competition for places at United. Romelu Lukaku (£10.7m) isn’t going to be content with a place on the bench and will be pushing for starts.

Will Solskjaer play them both up front together, or could we see Rashford moved back to the wing where he would be in competition with the likes of Anthony Martial (£7.3m), Alexis Sanchez (£10.0m), Jesse Lingard (£6.8m) and Juan Mata (£6.2m).

For now, Rashford looks to be Solskjaer’s number one striker but all it takes is a poor display or two and we could see some positional/personnel changes.

Aaron Wan-Don’t-Bench-Me-Bissaka

Arguably the greatest £4.0m FPL asset of all time has picked up three clean sheets in the last five Gameweeks.

Crystal Palace have looked a lot more stable defensively in recent weeks since Vicente Guaita (£4.2m) took over from Wayne Hennessey (£4.5m) between the sticks.

Five of the next six fixtures look good for  Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.5m) to get starts in our teams rather than having to look at his points on the bench.

The FPL General has three top-500 finishes in the last four seasons. You can follow him on Twitter HERE.

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418 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JamesObZ
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Play Pereyra against a solid Palace defence or Jimenez away to the best team in the league?

    1. fenixri
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I would risk it with Jimenez.

    2. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Jim. CRY has conceded less goals at home then MCI 😮

    3. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      pereryra surely

  2. GoonerByron
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Start Pereya or AWB this GW?

    1. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      AWB. CRY at home has only conceded nine goals which is the same amount as TOT, but CRY has played one more game at home.

    2. Ten Season Wonder
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      AWB for me

  3. RashFraud
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Play 1:
    AWB
    Holebas

    1. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      AwB for me.

    2. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I'm starting both. AWB between the two at home.

  4. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Aaron Wan Bissaka,
    4 million Aaron Wan Bissaka,
    Aaron Wan Bissaaaaakaaaa
    4 million Aaron Wan Bissaka!

    (To The tune of "One Arsene Wenger/Ryan Mason/whatever")

  5. Athletic Nasherbo
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    What to do here? 1FT 1.8ITB

    Fabianski
    Alonso Robertson Digne WB
    Hazard(C) Son Pogba Richarlison
    Kane Rashford

    Button Lingard Doherty Kamara

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Save. Good team

    2. CRO KLOPP
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Save

    3. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I'd hold, and then take off Son + Jlingz next week on 2 FT

      1. Athletic Nasherbo
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Maybe get rid of Lingard but United fixtures good- rotation risk of course.

        Thinking Hazard + Son + Kamara > Salah + Redmond + Jiminez -4 next week.

    4. KUNingas
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Save and Son out next week

    5. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Yep save

  6. KUNingas
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Help me guys, I am lost.. 2FTs and 0.2 ITB

    Fab
    Robertson, Pereira, Digne, AWB
    Salah, Hazard, Pogba, F.Anderson, Richarlison
    Kane

    3.9, Kamara, Ings, Bennett

    1. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Far from lost, team looks decent.

    2. fenixri
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Great team. I would do one transfer, either change Fabianski or downgrade one of your defenders to bednarek for some extra funds.

      1. KUNingas
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks! Both were on my thoughts.

  7. DF
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Is Schindler banned for his red?

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      No.

  8. Whats the Mata?
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Start Digne(BOU) or AWB(WAT) ?

    Starting Wilson if that makes any difference.

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Who else you got?

      1. Whats the Mata?
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Trent, Robertson, Doherty, Lmao.

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      100% of people have chosen Digne when given the option according to my shallow and brief study on the matter.

      1. Whats the Mata?
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Who would you go for?
        I'm quite sure Bournemouth will score. But Digne could get a 17 pointer again.

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          I'm going to play Digne and pay heed to my crowdsourcing. I don't think Everton's defence are bad, but Pickford will find a way to wipe out the cleanie whether Bournemouth play well or not. Clean sheets are too hard to predict, though, unless there's a huge difference between the match-ups, so I'm just going to stick with the more advanced player. AWB is great for bonus, but Digne can be too.

    3. Ten Season Wonder
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Play both

  9. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Fabianski
    Alonso Digne AWB
    Hazard Son Pogba Richarlison
    Kane Auba Jimenez
    Hamer Doherty Lovren Hojbjerg
    0.1 itb 1 FT

    A) Save
    B) Lovren and Fabianski to TAA and Foster/Guaita(-4)

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Save

  10. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Think I can get away with saving this week? Plan to get rid of Son/Ings next week for Richarlison/Rashford

    Fabianski
    Robertson Digne Kolasinac AWB
    Salah(c) Hazard Pogba Son
    Kane Jimenez

    Hamer Doherty Ings Hojbjerg

    Cheers all

    1. CRO KLOPP
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Yes, save

    2. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      To be honest, Ingsy has a good fixture run. Wouldnt be in a hurry to ship him out.

      1. The 5% Team
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        but Rashford as well...think he will get more points

      2. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I agree the fixtures are nice but he’s injury prone and I think Rashford is a better pick

    3. The 5% Team
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      looks very good to me

    4. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Do you not think Son for Rich is best done this week with his fixture versus a very bad defence?

      1. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Possibly but United defence isn’t great either tbf

        1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Yep - one of those where its double the regret if it goes wrong....

    5. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Absolutely.
      Save.

    6. Athletic Nasherbo
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Save

    7. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Cheers all

  11. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Who wouldst thou commit unto thine benchatorium, gentle subjects of Commentium Sectium?

    A) Martial (tot)
    B) AWB (WAT)

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Whom*
      Bollox

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      AWB innit

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        XI exclusio

    3. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Martial. Deciding between Martial and Anderson myself. If Sanchez is fit, I can see Martial being benched.

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I would probably play Anderson against Maitland-Niles/Bellerin and which ever lame CB he comes up against.

  12. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Seeing all these teans with Kane is scaring the daylights out of me.

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      You will get away with it this gw mate.

    2. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Courage oh timorous beastie

      1. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I would be quivering next gw though

    3. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      He is rubbish v minnows....

    4. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Why?

      1. Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Cuz he aint in my team. Rank killer if he goes berzerk.

    5. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I honestly can see a rare 3 or 4 goal haul for him - OGS does not fill me with confidence defensively, I'd imagine they will definitely fall into the trap of thinking 'we are 1990's man utd' and go all guns blazing - giving Kane A LOT more space than he has gotten in the last 12-18 months where most defences are petrified of him.

      Kane + Space = absolute destruction so we could be in for a very entertaining game - 5 or 6 or possibly even more goals i reckon

  13. konrad.sygula95
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    What would you do with this team ?

    Fabianski
    Wan-Bis/Digne/TAA
    Salah/Sane/Siggy/F.Anderson
    Kane/Mitro/Jimenez

    Subs: Hamer/Laporte/Jonny/Gunnarson

    1 FT 1.1 ITB

    1. The Rumour Mill
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Nice

    2. jason_ni
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Wow.. so he wants to leave a decent pl team fight for "titles" in China
      Be a man and just admit you want the $$$ than spout that crap.

      1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I love Arnie but if he wants to leave us for what is reported to be 300k a week......good luck to the fella and thanks 4 everything.

  14. Steirish
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Is arnutovich likely to start this week?

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah he's always on the verge of a fight

  15. The Rumour Mill
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    "The Toffees looked jaded in the 1-0 defeat to Leicester back in Gameweek 21, but a rest for some of their first-team players in the FA Cup should see them looking much fresher in Sunday’s matchup at Goodison Park."

    Have no doubt that Everton will be better and fresher than in their last few outings, but this sentence is misleading. The only fully rested first 11 players v Lincoln were Coleman, Keane, Digne and Walcott. Richarlison and Gomes both played reduced minutes but still were on the pitch. everyone else had pretty much a full game. It wasn't the widespread rotation we saw from the likes of Arsenal, Leicester etc.

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Agreed.

    2. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Doesn't always pan out that way but it smells of goals this game...

      1. The Rumour Mill
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        totally agree, second successive 3-3 draw for Bournemouth?

  16. KUNingas
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Robertson + Fabianski -> Alisson + TAA too sideways?

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      No.
      But I'd like to keep robbo if possible

      1. KUNingas
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks. Yeah if I go cheaper GK. Fed up with Fab now

  17. vardys party
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Lloris (Button)
    Rudiger Robertson Young Balbuena Bennett
    Hazard Richarlison Anderson Kenedy Hojbjerg
    Rashford Kane Aubameyang

    2FT
    0.4 itb

    What shall I do? Mini wildcard?

  18. Fantastisk
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    AWB

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Cheers mate

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        He's on commission 😉

        1. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          RF

        2. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          I want a slice of that pie

  19. fc_skrald
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    I have two free transfers so I think I have to do something - but what?

    a. Kiko -> Brednarek only to save some money
    b. new goalkeeper, max price 4.6 million
    c.Digne -> TAA

    Foster
    Robertson, Digne, Doherty
    Pogba, Richarlison, Salah, Hazard, Anderson
    Kane, Jimenez

    Speroni, Kiko, Kamara, Peltier

    0.1 million in the bank

  20. jtreble
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    “Premium Dilemmas: which £11m+ players to own?”. Another great article by TopMarx. FFS member’s are spoiled.

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Go to the article and tell him 🙂

  21. boc610
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    arNaUTaviC. He never changes.

  22. Football Heaven
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    A. Pogba and Hudson odoi
    B. Martial and camarasa

  23. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Gw 13 wc decision to move out wb after having since gw1 was a bad move!
    Lured by Coleman's false potential

  24. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Current team:
    Fab, Button /// Robbo, Doherty, Luiz, AWB, Bednarek
    Pogba, Son, Hazard, Anderson, Pereyra /// Kane, Jiménez, Kamara
    1FT and 4.0itb

    Salah requires a hit, and Son is the fall guy as he's going to be out anyway.

    Who gets downgraded to afford Salah?
    1) Pereyra
    2) Anderson
    3) Luiz
    4) Robbo
    5) Other
    6) Son > Sterling instead

  25. Bruno Bruno!!
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Son + Balubena -> Sigurdsson + TAA 2FT

    Son will be out till Feb after this GW

    Balbuena out for 6-8 weeks after surgery

    Yes or No ?

  26. Here's Tom with the We…
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Hi Guys, need some advice

    Alisson
    AWB Digne Alonso
    Martial Salah Haz Pogba Camarasa
    Aubameyang Jimenez

    Speroni Ings Doherty Balbeuna

    A Ings to Deeney
    B Martial and Jimenez to Richarlison and Arnie -4
    C Jimenez and Ings to Arnie and Kamara -4
    D Martial to Siggy
    E something else

    0.6 ITB 1ft

  27. Rinseboy
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    is Son to Sterling worth a -4 this week?

  28. TheKeeker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Alexander-Arnold or Digne?