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What it means to be an FPL manager and a professional footballer

Jordie van der Laan is living the dream – not only does he get paid to play football but he’s also an outstanding FPL manager. Who said life is fair?

Granted, you are unlikely to have heard of him. Jordie (pictured above left) plies his trade in the second tier of Dutch Football with SC Telstar, the club where Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink began his career, and, like Jimmy, is a centre-forward.

There’s nothing new in professional footballers playing FPL. Some like Asmir Begovic have done so for a number of years and while he’s no great shakes – he’s only once finished in the top 100k – others such as Owen Hargreaves and Matt Holland boast top 10,000 finishes.

Jordie, however, is different gravy – currently ranked 5,317 overall, two seasons ago he came 55th in the world.

In his book Wasting Your Wildcard David Wardale makes the distinction between most FPL managers who know about football – the clubs, the histories, the players, who’s in form, who’s not – and those who know football: coaches with the tactical nous to turn a match with their decisions, or scouts with an expert eye to recognise talent.

Being a pro footballer absolutely helps in becoming a better FPL manager. Or maybe I should say: having a good eye for the game helps in becoming a better FPL manager.

In this article Jordie discusses his passion for FPL, his strategies, and his life as a professional footballer.

Unlike Norway, the Netherlands is not fanatical about FPL, and if hadn’t been for Jordie’s local pub he may never have played fantasy football. When the pub set-up mini-leagues, a friendship with the landlord brought out Jordie’s competitive streak. Who doesn’t crave mini-league glory?

Jordie takes FPL very seriously. He watches every single Premier League match that is televised in his country and tunes into Match Of The Day every week. However he doesn’t simply rely upon having a good eye for the game.  

Stats also play an important role and he has an intuitive grasp of game mechanics. Having an analytical mind must run in the family – his brother is a referee with Champions League ambitions. All this combines to mark him out as an FPL manager who is brave and makes well-informed, often left-field decisions.

“I am aware of the template but I won’t ever pick players just because they belong to the template. I pick players because I think they will do well. I use the eye test and I take stats into consideration.”

One particular stat he values is the ICT Index.

“I use the ICT Index in a very straightforward way. I just look at the creativity and threat numbers for a player that I think could be a good FPL prospect. Lots of managers don’t seem to value the ICT Index from what I’ve read, but it has really helped me a lot. It’s very simple.”

“I’m looking at the raw numbers but I don’t set any specific limits. So if a player has a threat index of below 20.0 it won’t necessarily mean that I won’t consider him in the future. I’m looking for consistency in the numbers.”

“For instance Alonso has never had consistent numbers this season. He was way too expensive in my opinion and owners got very lucky in the first few Gameweeks. Yes, I could have caught some price rises, but has he lived up to expectations? Nah, zero goals and three assists since Gameweek 4.”

However he cautions against relying too heavily on stats:

Statistics can be misleading though. When a team is behind, they need to come up with a certain tactic that gets them on the scoresheet. They need to take risks especially when it gets closer to 90 minutes. When a team leads the game, they could decide to sit back, play a little more defensively and take less risks. The scoreline can open a game up or shut it down completely.

Just as a scoreline can change a game, so can a team’s position in the table, and Jordie has first-hand experience of teams being ‘on the beach’:

His move to SC Telstar last summer followed a successful season with JVC Cuijk in the fourth tier of Dutch football. Jordie was the leading goalscorer in their push for promotion. However, his move to a bigger club wasn’t as straightforward as you might expect.

“Before the winter break I scored 18 goals in 15 games. There were contacts at the time which should have already seen me signing a contract in the second tier, but unfortunately no offer became concrete. That also had something to do with my second half of the season, when I only scored 7 goals in 18 games. You need a bit of luck as a football player. Second tier clubs blamed me for a lack of quality and therefore didn’t want to sign me. In my eyes it was different.”

“We won the first period which meant we had qualified for the promotion play-offs. So we could lose all the remaining games and still go up if we won our knock-out games. And we did almost that. We didn’t win for 10 league games in a row. We sat back and most of our players didn’t give 100%, because we had something to fall back on. And, as a striker, I can tell you that is very frustrating. Especially when big clubs come to watch you.”

Thankfully three goals in the promotion play-offs led to a successful trial with SC Telstar. At his new club there’s plenty of competition for places – he finds himself alongside Premier League loanees Ryan Seager (Southampton) and Kyle Scott (Chelsea) – and it’s intense: the team trains up to seven times a week with a lot of attention given to tactics.

Unfortunately for Jordie it’s been a season interrupted by ankle and knee injuries: “It’s a hard time and it made me realize how tough it is to come back from a long-term injury.” Thankfully FPL provides a welcome distraction from the treatment room.

One thing Jordie is particularly good at in FPL is identifying non-template players before they go on a good run. For instance this season he picked up Son in Gameweek 15 ahead of his run of 75 points in the next seven Gameweeks, and Pogba at the start of his good run in Gameweek 19. Players who went on to form part of the template. In previous seasons he’s identified Lingard, Eriksen, and Stanislas before they’ve done well.

“When I go for a differential player, I’m hoping for him to get a haul sooner rather than later.”

“This season I’ve brought in Doherty at £4.4m, Van Dijk at £5.9m, Pogba at £7.8m, Son at £8.3m; all at the right time and all because I thought they were very valuable assets looking at their price tag and the attacking potential they had.”

Lingard last season I picked up very quickly indeed when he went on a great run. That was because I thought there weren’t many players at United at the time who could score a goal or win them games. He had the confidence and he fitted into my structure. Fortunately I seemed to be right about that.”

“Although that last point is something that managers seem to forget sometimes. Your squad structure can hand you opportunities that other managers don’t always get because they play a different formation. You need to be lucky sometimes and don’t tear your team up because of one player.”

“In the season when I came 55th, my punts paid off. And I did like to punt big time. I managed to bring in players who scored extremely well for me while being in very few squads.”

“For example I used my Wildcard in Gameweek 36 and I needed an eighth attacking player – the cheapest – who I could use for my Bench Boost. I never saw him mentioned anywhere but I picked up £4.6m Stanislas, who was owned by only 38k managers. He went on to score three times in the last three Gameweeks for me. I think that typifies what worked well for me that particular season.”

In his successful 2016/17 season Jordie made 54 transfers including 19 hits for a cost of 76 points. It’s interesting to note that it’s the same year in which taking hits proved so fruitful for then Career Hall of Fame number one Peter Kouwenberg25 hits for a cost of 100 points. Peter finished 134th overall.

This season Jordi’s shown a little more patience although he’s certainly not averse to a hit. He’s made 40 transfers and taken 10 hits for a cost of 40 points.

“I delve through every team in FPL. I update my watchlist every week. And that’s also exactly where my punts come from.”

“I try to have not more than 30 players on it because if I have more, I need to jump to page 2! Players who are in my team, are never on my watchlist.”

“Each week I base my transfers on what could happen in the next say three or four weeks. I set my team up with the players I already own and I then try to fill the holes with players that fit my squad structure. ‘Holes’ arise when I think I don’t want to play some of my current players or I just prefer to have others in the coming weeks.”

“After that I look at the fixtures. I put down a lot of options and I start to compare those options fixture-wise. For which fixture could I have a certain player? Does that require a free transfer or a hit? And so on.”

“This fixtures based approach also leads to something else: the players I fear. There are so many highly-owned premium players in the game that you can’t own them all. Which of the players that I don’t own do I fear? And in which specific Gameweek? Is there an option for me to get him in and is it really necessary to get him in? Does he fit my squad structure and would I be satisfied with him long term?”

“The names of the players I can’t or won’t bring in I write down next to my own team to see who can really cause damage. That doesn’t mean that every player who could hurt my rank if he does well is on my watchlist. There should be proof that they could do well.”

“My opinion about this is very simple: if there isn’t any proof that a popular player could do well, then I think that managers who own that particular player are wrong and will eventually fall behind, even if that player does well in one or more Gameweeks.”

“Of course during a season there are a few players that appear must-haves at some point. Just like everyone else I try to fit those players in as best I can, and in some cases it is almost impossible not to mess a bit with your squad structure, or to take a hit to fit certain players in. Those players are mainly, perhaps even exclusively, premium players.”

As a competitive sportsman, one element Jordie has learnt to control is the emotional side to FPL.

“Once you have realized you will do better when you don’t let the emotional side take over, you won’t let the emotional side take over. You need to have a clear head. Don’t make transfers immediately after a Gameweek. Wait till the deadline unless price changes force you.

Before a Gameweek starts your head will be much clearer than when a Gameweek has just ended.

Jordie has needed to heed every word of his own advice after a torrid week in which he dropped from 3,785 overall to outside the top 5,000:

“What a ridiculous Double Gameweek we’ve all had! I’m not as down as I would normally be though because lots of top 10,000 managers were in the same boat. And of course because Ajax went through in the Champions League, which was far more important.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do with my Free Transfer yet. Deeney is a pain and Duffy could go, but I’m sure I will use Bench Boost this week. Double fixtures over the single fixtures in Gameweek 36.”

To end the article I would like to wish Jordie the best of luck in Double Gameweek 35 and for the rest of the season, both in fantasy and real football. Thank you for sharing your insights.

TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

4,264 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Threat Level Midnight
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    How crazy does Hazard >>> KDB sound for a hit? It feels like a spot for Hazard to rest and sub in if necessary...

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Sounds very crazy before Burnley. KDB could also only get 1 full game.

      1. Totalfootball
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        This

    2. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Not crazy

    3. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Why will Hazard rest when he has 1 week before the next match ?

  2. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Anyone tempted by a Watford attacker for Captain?

    Would you do it if you were chasing 80 odd points?

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Was planning this if Deeney played. Maybe not now.

    2. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Deulofeu should play

  3. Afghanistanislas
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Which would you do:

    A) Deeney and Duffy > Wilson and Yoshida (-4)
    B) Deeney and Duffy > Wilson and Kiko/Masina (-4)
    C) Deeney > Gray

    Lloris Foster
    TAA Laporte Duffy Boly Valery
    Son Eriksen Mane KDB Jota
    Aguero Jimenez Deeney

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Deeney to Gray

    2. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I’ve just done A but for Dunk (still have Ryan and Duffy!)

  4. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Good enough for BB? No FT left, 1.9 itb.

    Foster/Ryan
    Vertonghen, Laporte, Cathcart, Valery, Duffy
    Hazard, Son, Eriksen, Deulofeu, Jota
    Jimenez, Lacazette(C), Firmino

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Looks pretty sick

  5. Klopp's Kids
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Good to go?

    Ryan Foster
    Duffy Dunk Vertonghen Kolasinac Bednarek
    Redmond Son Eriksen Sterling (C) Jota
    Lacazette (v) Aguero Jimenez

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Move on Dunk imo
      Rest is GTG

  6. bigbudgie
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    BB's BB team, AMA, -4, money ITB for Salah next week

    Lloris Ryan
    Laporte TAA Doherty Duffy Valery
    Mane KDB Son Doucoure Redmond
    Aguero (c) Jiminez Llorente

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Awesome gtg

  7. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Drunken evening resulted in this 12;

    Vardy Hazard A.Barnes Speroni ➡ Aguero Jiménez Moura Gunn

    I’ll blame alcohol if it fails

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      -12*

    2. Weeb Kakashi
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Id do that without being drunk.
      You were still sober that time.

      1. La Roja
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        😀

  8. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    -4 taken. On BB . G2G??

    Ryan Foster
    Laporte Doherty TAA Duffy Valery
    Sterling Eriksen Son Deulofue Redmond
    Aguero Jimenez Gray

    Chasing 80 points. Wish me luck. Captain undecided. Might go a differential.

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Wow
      Perfect .

  9. Dirty Harry
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Good to go lads? Anything worth a hit? On BB this week

    Lloris Gunn
    Robertson Laporte Duffy Dunk Valery
    Sterling Mane Son Jota Hojbjerg
    Aguero Firmino Jimenez(c)

    ITB 0.3

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      If i were you i would ship dunk for boly

      1. Dirty Harry
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        For a hit?

        1. Totalfootball
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Yup .
          Wolves will play watford and then fulham in 37 .
          Hit should pay off imo

    2. seewhyaxe
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      G2g

      1. Dirty Harry
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Cheers Axe

  10. saurabh.06
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    What to do for a hit?
    A. Tomkins to valery/yoshida and bench rondon
    B. Rondon to Gray and bench Tomkins.
    Already on -8.

  11. smix
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    A. Vardy & Dunk to Wilson & Kosc or
    B. Vardy & Duffy to Laca & Masina
    C. Vardy & Dunk to Firmino & Yoshida

    1. saurabh.06
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      b

    2. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      C

    3. dee_top
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      C if for free, only ship Dunk if for a hit

  12. PM
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    QUICK POLL:

    1. DeBruyne, Bednarek

    2. Pogba, Doherty

    1. saurabh.06
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      1

      1. petergriff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Tough but 1

    2. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      1

  13. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    How’s she looking with -12 hit lol

    Lloris Gunn
    Dunk Robbo* Bednarek Jonny Doherty
    Son Moura Sterling Mane* Camarasa*
    Aguero (c) Jiménez Rashford

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      D(r)unk 😉

  14. saurabh.06
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Repost
    What to do for a hit?
    A. Tomkins to valery/yoshida and bench rondon
    B. Rondon to Gray and bench Tomkins.
    Already on -8.

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Who else is on bench for B as Tomkins is out.

      1. saurabh.06
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        McArthur and McNeil
        I don't have bb.

        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Need to work out which game you think S'ton get a CS.

    2. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Just play Rondon and bench Tompkins to save -4, if can get 11 starting players out

  15. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Price changes done?????

    1. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Yes. See hot topic.

  16. FPL_Sponge
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Captains? Currently on Sterling (form, stays, eye test and revenge against Spurs. Was rested against Cardiff for full 90 two GWs ago so hoping that’s his rest)

    Jiménez captainers explain their reasoning? Yes fixtures and do buy into mid-week evening atmosphere at Molineux. But his stats, wolves team attacking stats and their last performance against Southampton are overriding these.

    1. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      *stats

    2. tucaoneo
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I am thinking the same about Jimenez. Was on him at first but has moved to Son/Sterling coin toss since. Son has a good if not better case to make too. But the common con to Son/Sterling is the super short turnaround between UCL and PL. Also not ruling out Kun.

    3. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Sterling for me too.
      Jimenez sounds like Duffy © part 2 😕

  17. davies
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Kelly nailed on?

    Looking at getting him next week to fund Mane...

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Think so yes

      But its another question whether you really want Palace defence now

  18. dee_top
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    So I think it’s G2G?
    BB, no hits

    Foster | Lloris
    Robbo | Laporte | Valery | Boly | Duffy
    Sterling | Son | Jota | Eriksen | JWP
    Aguero | Jimenez | Vardy

    1. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Yes looks good

  19. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    BB set
    Captain undecided
    Gunn
    TAA/Vertonghen/Jonny
    Son/Eriksen/Kdb/Sterling
    Aguero/Jimenez/Wilson

    Ryan/Duffy/Valery/JWP
    1.0 ITB for Eriksen to Mane

    1. dee_top
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Cap on who atm?
      I’m on Sterling but really not sure

      1. The Red Devil
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        I'm on the same, but son is tempting too, I'm between son Sterling and Jimenez

  20. Lingard’s Shin Guards
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Jota the best mid-priced midfielder? Have Doh and Jimmy if that changes anything

    1. dee_top
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I have Boly Jota Jimmy and pretty happy with it

    2. dee_top
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Maybe Redmond also

    3. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Jota or Redmond imo Moura also in that group

  21. Sz21
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Which of these would you choose?

    1. Erik-> KDB (and just hope he can cover Sterling). (Vardy-> Firmino next GW then).
    2. Erik-> Sterling + Duffy-> Cathcart (or 4.5m) -4.
    3. Erik-> Sterling + Vardy-> Rash/Wilson/Llorente. (8.9m) -4.
    4. Save the FT.

    BB.
    Lloris, Foster.
    Kola, TAA, Dunk, Duffy, Bednarek.
    Mane, Eriksen, Son, Jota, JWP.
    Vardy, Aguero, Jimenez.
    1ft, 2.1m.

  22. Jinswick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Best 4.3m DEF to get this week?

    A) Masina - seemingly nailed at LB with Holebas injured
    B) Kiko - 1st choice RB but Janmaat lurking
    C) Valery - nailed but DGW fixture isn’t as good as WAT
    D) Someone else

    1. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Valery

    2. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Masina

    3. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Valery or Jonny

  23. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Is Hoj to Redmond for -4 mad?

    1. Boglander
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      yes

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      nope

  24. FPL ElasticO
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Best captain pick for this DGwk??

    A. Kun
    B. Jimenez
    C. KDB
    D. Sterling

    1. dee_top
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Probably D
      Toss a coin

    2. korbendallas82
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Between c and d. I’m tempted to do c. De Bruyne finally in top form.

  25. Eze Really?
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    News on Delboy anyone?

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      If that's Deulofeu, no definite news Sir.
      I'm keeping him though & hoping that he plays against Hudds 🙂

  26. Winners900
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts on Son v Sterling for the (C)?

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I only have son so that’s it for me.

      Sterling safe bet probs

  27. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    ‘ello all. Rolling FT and 0.2 ITB (with view of tripling up Liverpool and TC next week)

    Gtg? Or for you sterling folk, as good as it’ll get? 😉

    Lloris Foster
    Robertson Laporte Duffy Doherty Bednarek
    Son(c) Mane Eriksen Pogba Højbjerg
    Aguero Vardy Jiménez

    BB, of course.

    1. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Gtg, could downgrade Vardy to dbl gw attacker Gray/Llorente/Ings and using funds next week to get Salah

  28. Jinswick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Best combo to bring in this week?

    A) Cathcart & Llorente
    B) Valery & Ings

    Long term B looks better, but DGW for A looks better, and I won’t need them much after this week given rest of squad below:

    TAA, Doherty, Duffy, Dunk, xxx
    Sterling, Mane, Son, Eriksen, Jota
    Aguero, Jimenez, xxx

    1. korbendallas82
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      A.

  29. Felice
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Deulofeu news??? In? Out?

    1. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Just asked also. late test but ready for following game.

  30. Boglander
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    0.9 itb, 1ft, BBing, current team:

    Lloris/Foster
    Roberston/Doherty/Bednarek/Duffy/Dunk
    Eriksen/Sterling/Salah/Jota/Redmond
    Jimenez/Vardy/Deeney

    a) replace Deeney straight with Wilson or Gray and just suck up the double Brighton def
    b) downgrade Deeney to Success (or maybe Llorente?), and take a hit to upgrade Dunk to City def, or maybe VVD

    Leaning towards Success/Laporte - at least has the advantage of removing attacker benching dilemmas for rest of season. But Laporte was v poor midweek and City fixtures don't scream clean sheets, so not sure if worth the -4?