Scout Reports

How Brighton’s FPL assets could fare under new boss Graham Potter

Graham Potter‘s appointment as Brighton and Hove Albion head coach is an intriguing prospect for the Seagulls’ fans and Fantasy managers alike.

The former Swansea City boss has signed a four-year contract with the south coast club and replaces Chris Hughton at the helm, following the much-liked manager’s departure a week ago.

Brighton had only just avoided the drop to the Championship after a run of three wins in 23 top-flight matches and many Fantasy managers will still be scarred by the Double Gameweek 34 failure in which Albion slumped to chastening home defeats to Bournemouth and Cardiff – even if they did manage to keep an unexpected clean sheet at Molineux days later.

The dismal attacking football on offer (35 goals in 38 games, the worst of the surviving Premier League teams) and a lack of clean sheets (seven, only Fulham and Huddersfield Town recorded fewer) served to make Brighton assets a pretty unattractive proposition, even if many of us got caught up in the Double Gameweek fever regardless.

The appointment of the more progressive, forward-thinking Potter is obviously a gamble but the hope from a Fantasy perspective is that the ex-Ostersunds manager can at least boost the appeal of Brighton’s players and offer us a bargain or two – particularly as many of Albion’s attack-minded FPL assets are likely to drop in price next season.

We’ll analyse the new Albion manager’s history and managerial style in the article below and hear directly from Mat Davies, Head of Football at Wales Online, who has seen plenty of Potter’s Swansea in 2018/19.

What is Potter’s background?

Potter came up against Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal during his time at Swedish minnows Ostersunds

A defender by trade, Potter’s fairly unremarkable playing career took him to 11 different clubs, with eight appearances for Southampton in 1996/97 being his only top-flight experience.

Calling time on his playing career at the age of 30, Potter gained a degree in social sciences as well as a masters in leadership and emotional intelligence – a hint at the unorthodox managerial approach to come.

His coaching career began in earnest in 2010 at Ostersunds, a little-known club playing in the Swedish fourth tier.

Potter swiftly guided the minnows to three promotions in five seasons and a place in the top flight for the first time in their short history.

Ostersunds finished a commendable eighth and fifth in their first two seasons in Allsvenskan, with Potter steering the club to a Svenska Cupen (the Swedish equivalent of the FA Cup) win in 2017 despite their financial limitations.

Their Europa League 2017/18 campaign caught wider attention as they saw off the likes of Galatasaray and PAOK (as well as qualifying from a group that included Athletic Bilbao and Hertha Berlin) en route to a round-of-32 meeting with Arsenal, who defeated the Swedish minnows on aggregate – but only after losing to Potter’s troops 2-1 at the Emirates.

Appointed manager of Swansea in the summer of 2018, Potter oversaw a tenth-place finish in the Championship and a run to the FA Cup quarter-finals (where they nearly defeated Manchester City) despite the Welsh club being restricted by financial constraints.

What style of football does Potter use?

Potter’s Swansea, who gave Manchester City a scare in the FA Cup quarter-finals this season, had the best pass completion rate in the Championship in 2018/19

Fantasy managers can likely expect to see a bit more attacking ambition from the Seagulls this season, although Potter’s tactical fluidity is a stark contrast to Hughton’s religious use of a 4-3-3 and his line-ups may be more difficult to second-guess as a result.

Wales Online’s Davies said:

He chops and changes. Guessing a Potter starting line-up was like picking the right lottery numbers. That says a lot about Swansea, too, mind. But Potter likes to keep players – and journalists – guessing.

He likes to rotate but Swansea’s squad was so threadbare last season he wasn’t able to all the time. He chopped and changed his goalkeeper throughout the season, which tells its own stories about the stoppers in South Wales.

Potter largely favoured a 4-2-3-1 at Swansea but had trialled a 4-4-2, 3-5-2, 4-2-2-2 and 4-3-3 throughout the campaign and his unpredictability with tactics – both before and during games – is perhaps not what we want as Fantasy managers, even if it is to his credit as an innovative coach.

Davies said of Potter’s year in the Championship:

He’s quite a fluid manager, adapting to his opposition but his favoured formation with Swansea this season has been 4-2-3-1. He has gone with a back three/five on other occasions but a 4-2-3-1 is what he likes to play.

He has brought about a return to Swansea’s free-flowing football. His Swansea side dominated possession, hogged the ball but moved it a lot quicker than managers like Brendan Rodgers. He prefers his players to get the ball moving forward as quickly as possible. He likes to see his side attack, play out from the back and work teams over. When it works, it is extremely effective and very easy on the eye.

Former Celtic striker Henrik Larsson, who encountered Potter while working for Helsingborgs, said of the new Brighton boss last year:

The way he is able to change his pattern of play during games is so impressive.

I remember scouting them when I was at Helsingborg. They played all different kinds of systems, starting off a match one way, and then halfway through they started playing a different system, and then they ended up with a third system. And all the players knew exactly what they were doing.

Potter’s discussion of his tactics after the win over Galatasaray shows the level of thought put into his approach.

Niclas Lidstrom, from the Ostersunds media department, said in a recent interview with the Argus:

Graham had some ideas of how to play football with high pressure, with a lot of the ball, build from the back through goalkeeper to defence to midfield to the strikers.

You never knew before a match what line-up he would play. He changed the team all the time. He wanted to see players in different positions.

Potter himself promised more positive football upon his appointment at the Amex, saying:

What has gone on before is a lot of really good work but my job is to try and improve on it. We try and play football in a positive way. Any team has to be defensively organised, but you have to look at the attributes of the players and play to their strengths.

A Brighton side that has been used to Hughton’s more pragmatic managerial style might take time in adjusting to Potter’s more fluid, possession-based approach.

Swansea were top for pass completion in the second tier last season and second only to Leeds United for possession – Brighton were 16th and 17th for those two statistics in the Premier League in 2018/19

The Swans only scored seven goals in their first nine Championship games last season but their record in their final nine fixtures (five wins, three draws, one defeat, 19 goals scored) showed that Potter’s methods were being understood by the end of 2018/19.

It may be, then, that Fantasy managers have to play a waiting game with Albion as we see how successfully Potter’s ideas are being carried out.

Long-term there are players to watch, particularly if Potter sticks with the 4-2-3-1 set-up that he rolled out at Swansea.

Pascal Gross would be one candidate, with the German midfielder surely set to drop from a starting price of £7.0m in FPL based on his output in an admittedly injury-ravaged season.

Gross has been more withdrawn in Hughton’s 4-3-3 set-up this season and a more advanced role during open play would only complement his threat from dead-ball situations.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh will surely drop in price, too, after a hugely disappointing debut season in which he didn’t register a single attacking return.

Fluidity in the attacking positions has been a hallmark of Potter’s tactics at Swansea, with the new Brighton boss liking his wingers to interchange and cut inside.

Albion are well stocked with wide players and it will be interesting to see how much more Potter can extract from the likes of Jahanbakhsh, Solly March and Anthony Knockaert – if indeed he chooses to retain their services.

We can perhaps expect Brighton’s full-backs to offer more in the way of attacking threat, too: Connor Roberts registered 40 shots (five of them were goals) and 48 key passes from full-back/wing-back last season.

There are still question marks defensively, with Swansea conceding more goals from set plays than any other Championship side last season.

A total of 62 goals conceded was also the joint-most in the top half of the division.

There are also those who may not fit into Potter’s system, of course, and this could finally be the death knell for Glenn Murray as a first-team regular: Swansea attempted the fewest long balls of any Championship side last season and his lack of mobility may be an issue up top.

How does Potter handle the press?

Davies had positive things to say about Potter’s media personality, particularly when it comes to his helpfulness regarding team news:

Very pleasant. He doesn’t give much away though, especially in terms of transfers.

He’s fairly open on injuries. He doesn’t hide much.

How busy will Potter be in the transfer window?

Youngsters such as Viktor Gyokeres may get more of a look-in under Potter next season

Potter’s history of working within a tight budget and with young players might have been significant regarding his appointment.

In one of his first interviews as Brighton boss, Potter said:

I’m not expecting a massive amount [in the summer transfer window]. There are some good players here and a lot of good work has already been done. My focus has always been on trying to help the players who are already here to improve.

It’s the old cliché – it’s a clean slate. I’m looking forward to meeting everybody, getting to understand what they’re about, what qualities they bring to the group on and off the pitch. But clearly every window you want to try to help the team to get better.

Albion chairman Tony Bloom hinted that there would be some transfer activity over the summer but his mention of Potter’s success with “limited resources” could be significant given that Brighton splashed the cash last summer (reportedly in excess of £60m, a similar amount that Wolves, Manchester United and Manchester City spent) without much to show for it.

Bloom said:

We have been very impressed with the work he did at Ostersund and recently Swansea, where with limited resources Graham has produced teams with high performances levels and an attractive playing style with great spirit.

We believe he and his team have the right combination of coaching experience and man-management skills to make the step up to the Premier League.

We were obviously very keen to ensure Graham was here at the earliest opportunity to review and provide input to our player recruitment plans as well as to oversee from the outset our pre-season preparations. We’re delighted to have achieved that.

Technical director Dan Ashworth will work alongside Potter in the player recruitment department, although the new Brighton boss will have the final say on any potential signings.

Free transfers and cut-price cast-offs could be the order of the summer, with Lidstrom saying of Potter’s work in the transfer market in Sweden:

He started to find players who could [play his system]. We used to call them The Leftovers because they were players other clubs didn’t want.

Graham had found a player from Mexico, a player from Ghana, plenty of players from different levels and different countries.

At Swansea, Potter’s hands were similarly tied.

Potter saw 20 players exit the club following their relegation from the top flight and started the season with only one senior centre-half (Mike van der Hoorn).

His ability to find bargains in the transfer market came in handy but it was his work with the youth set-up that stood out, with Daniel James excelling in his breakthrough season to the point that he is now set to join Manchester United in a £15m deal.

Brighton have themselves invested a lot of money into their academy and their under-23 team finished third in Premier League-2 last season, ahead of Liverpool, Manchester City and Spurs’ respective second-string sides.

Davies indeed suggests that Potter could be drawing from his resources in the academy in 2019/20:

The times I watched Brighton last season I was pretty unimpressed, to be honest. It was one-dimensional play and I didn’t see much progressiveness. But I guess that was because they were engulfed in a relegation scrap.

Potter will change that completely. He will get them playing. He will promote from within in terms of the academy and it will be interesting to see what he can do with a bigger budget.

Has he got the players at present to implement that style? I have my doubts.

The likes of Max Sanders and Viktor Gyokeres will, therefore, be optimistic of more of a look-in this season and could be budget names to monitor in FPL, especially if Brighton aren’t as active in the transfer market this summer.

78 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Je suis le chat
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    The term "Assets" being stretched a little! Bitter owner of double Brighton defence.

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Merely a synonym for "player" that fits in a headline - Duffy and Ryan were no assets of mine in GW34 🙂

  2. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    I just want to see Brighton get relegated

    1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      50/50 they get relegated or flourish under Potter

      1. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        There best 2 players are their CBs so he has something to work on. Needs a centre forward not sure if Murray has another season in him.

    2. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      If they start playing better football again they are welcome to stay up.

  3. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    This is great journalism for a fantasy football website

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Thanks very much! I was bound to crack it at some point.

  4. J0E
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    This guy - Aaron Connely - worth keeping tabs on should Potter want to promote from within to replace Murray. https://www.premierleague.com/news/1221430

    1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Excited or worried about the turn of events, Joe?

      1. J0E
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Excited. Hughton a nice guy, but too defensive and not great at that either.

        1. Syd.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          I was surprised he wasn't sacked sooner

          Watching that style of play would just drain the life out of anyone.

    2. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Great to see you back, Joe! Have you heard/seen much about the thinking man's Alexis - Mac Allister?

      1. J0E
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Still struggling with double vision so only have eyes for the McAllister twins currently. 🙂

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

          Glad to hear you're on the mend Joe. All the best.

        2. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          Why are you even on here?

          😕

    3. ClassiX
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Nice to see you post, Joe - I was literally just coming onto the forum to find out if there was an update about how you were doing. Get strong for the pre-season.

    4. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Good to see you posting.
      Welcome back !!

    5. Miniboss
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Good to see you back Joe, all the best from Finland.

    6. GreenWindmill
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Good to see you Joe, hope you're managing your comeback carefully to be fit in time for the new season 🙂

    7. Richd
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Good to see you’re back mate

    8. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Welcome back Joe

      1. J0E
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Cheers all. Was a massive shock but have come a really long way in the last month. Hoping for more progress in the coming weeks.

        1. AB.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          ...and we’re all hoping with you Joe. Great to see you back.

        2. Peter Ouch
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          All the best mate, it's a tough situation, the best are yet to come!

  5. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Hope Potter pulls it off - I’ve s strange affection for Brighton

    But there must be at least some danger of a FdB at Palace scenario. He’s probably a better manager and will have a full preseason but it’s a potentially massive shift if Brighton are going to go possession and tactical fluidity - I know he has nothing to work with but that was already pretty much the culture at Swansea.

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Aye, totally agree. Any results unlikely to be immediate given how ingrained Hughton's style of football will be at the club so I hope he gets given the time to build something. Not a luxury many are afforded these days!

    2. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Frank de Boer was so unlucky. The expected points (xG, xGa) told a completely different story.

    3. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Interesting article.

      Potter always seems to get praise for performing miracles, getting Ostersunds promoted on 500 attendances and doing ok with Swansea after losing so many players, but ....

      Ostersunds average attendances in their first promotion season was 700+ whilst the league average was 250 and some clubs had attendances if just over 100. They were a big club in the regional leagues for their first 2 promotions.

      Swansea did sell a load of players, but there was a plan in place. The Swans finished 4th in the U23 PL, obviously above many of the top clubs.

      Their U23s had been developed for quite a few years as a Cat A Academy and many of these young players had also been loaned out and had first team experience.

      To put this in to protective, whilst the Swans had just one senior center back, but they also had Joe Rodon who had about 20 senior games to his name. Swans also had Keiran Harries who likewise had 20 senior games under his belt. These are not kids, but 22 year old players schooled at U23 level playing against the best the PL has.Throw in Dan James, Connor Roberts, Matt Grimes, George Byers, Oliver McBurnie and the picture was not quite as bleak as everyone makes out.

      Potter inherited a great crop of youngsters that were ready to listen and learn at Swansea.

      Swansea also gave Potter freedom and space to do his tinkering, rest and rotate and play different formations. In fact Potter played 7 different formations and played players out of position as a norm.

      He dropped Grimes to center back, Naughton to midfield, McBurnie was often dropped deep, wingers played in 10 spot, wingers played as strikers ... it was really a big mish mass of rotation and fluidity (mayhem at times).

      So on to Brighton, Potter will not be afforded at Brighton the flexibility that Swansea gave him to chop and change; in the PL you have to hit the ground running.

      Also I am not sure Brighton have the players for his high risk game of passing it around at the back; the PL teams know how to press and they do it well, better than Championship teams.

      It’s going to be interesting, but a word of warning if you are looking at Brighton players because it will be very fluid for a while and you won’t know if your attacking mid will be asked to drop deep or your winger will become a full back

  6. child of God
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Will FFS be doing articles on the African cup of nations?

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      We'll be covering the squad announcements and monitoring Premier League players' minutes/performances during it but nothing planned for the tournament itself as yet.

      Any Community submissions are always welcome though!

  7. avfc82
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Quality article, enjoyed reading that. I think Jahanbakhsh, Izquierdo and Bissouma could all do well under Potter.

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Thank you 🙂

      Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how much Jahanbakhsh will drop. Maybe even £5.5m? Didn't see anything from him to suggest he could be a prospect next season but you'd think Potter would get more out of that type of player than Hughton did.

      1. avfc82
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        5.5 sounds about right - imagine it’ll be quite a competitive price point next year (Pukki, Sharp) so there should be a few to monitor in preseason.

        1. TallestJohn
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          No chance Pukki comes in at 5.5m after the season he's just had. Even Sharp I would expect to be at least 6m

          1. avfc82
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Yep you’re probably right. Think Jimenez came in at 5.5 but Jota, Sessegnon - the ones who performed well in the Championship, were around 6.5m.

  8. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Exciting appointment, Brighton should be more pleasing to the eye from the off. Some money to spend will help as well 🙂

  9. Azathoth
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Foyth,Otamendi & Kun at Argentina's team for the Copa America.

  10. GreenWindmill
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Good article. As ever I'll be adopting a coward's 'wait and see' approach so not likely to use much from this at the start of the season but very nice writing 🙂

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Thanks very much! I'll be doing the very same unless Brighton are given an incredible opening set of fixtures and there are visible signs of improvement in pre-season.

      1. GreenWindmill
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Oh no, I really hope that doesn't happen - it couldn't be a more obvious trap even if Wile E Coyote had painted it on a wall but I'd still get sucked in 🙁

  11. Vobinho
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    How many points did Vidic & Baines get to get priced at 8.0m the following season?

    Surely Robbo & TAA will be 8.0m minimum?

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      There really is no reason they shouldnt be 8.0. They scored more points than any other players below 10.0

      1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        There are many reasons.

        1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          The fact that we have free transfers, the fact that there are constraints on those transfers (only being able to transfer within the same position), the fact that we have a bench, the fact that value needs to be considered within each position. Prices aren't just a linear equation.

          1. Brosstan
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 10 months ago

            Why would anyone not own Robbo and TAA if they are clearly better value than all other options?

            1. Brosstan
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 10 months ago

              People only disagree because they are planning to have them in their team and dont want them "overpriced". Truth is they would still be great options at 8.0

              1. The Rumour Mill
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 10 months ago

                I'm inclined to agree with you based on what the results of this season are. However, as a word of caution Liverpools defence as a whole overperformed, their expected goals against was 29, and they actually only let in 22 goals. Similarly TAA had an xa of 7 and he actually got 12 assists, with Robbo expected to get 8 and he got 11. So a reversion to the mean in these factors could see them struggle to justify an 8.0 price tag. However balanced against this is the fact they are another year closer to peak age, a year more experienced, and theres the chance Liverpool make signings which improve them also.

                1. Brosstan
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 10 months ago

                  Yea 8.0 could be too high, but the amount of people on here who are already saying TAA/Robbo are nailed in their drafts if they cost anything 7.0 or lower is a huge indication that 7.0 or lower would be a mistake in pricing.

                  All player picks should carry a question of "is this worth the price im paying?" and it seems clear that 7.0 is too low to make it a real decision. 7.5 is probably the sweet spot but 8.0 wouldnt be outrageous.

                  1. Ghost Gooner
                    • 10 Years
                    4 years, 10 months ago

                    Robbo 8m (if no LB is bought that can come in from the 1st game)
                    TAA/VVD 7.5

                    Mane 10.5
                    Salah 12.5

                    These would be fair prices in my view and would discourage a triple up which would kill the game

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

      Vidic 187 in 08/09
      Baines 178, 177 and 169 his highest scores.

      Source: wasting your wildcard 😉

    3. GreenWindmill
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Baines got 178 points (5th highest scorer in the game): https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2011/05/27/season-review-team-of-the-season-leighton-baines/
      Vidic got 148 points: https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2011/05/28/season-review-team-of-the-season-nemanja-vidic-2/

      Worth noting that the pricing landscape was different at that point. The goalkeeper and defender pricing has been compressed a fair bit in the last 8 years as FPL have rebalanced things to give the right kind of budget challenges. Personally think they'll be 7.5 but I'm not basing that on anything I could reasonably justify!

    4. RedLightning
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      In the past 10 years, the following defenders have all scored 160 or more points in a season:

      2009/10: Dunne 170 in 37 (4.6ppg), Evra 168 in 38 (4.4ppg).
      2010/11: Baines 178 in 38 (4.7ppg).
      2011/12: None.
      2012/13: Baines 177 in 38 (4.7ppg).
      2013/14: Baines 169 in 32 (5.3ppg), Terry 172 in 34 (5.1ppg), Coleman 180 in 36 (5.0ppg).
      2014/15: Terry 177 in 38 (4.7ppg), Ivanovic 179 in 38 (4.7ppg).
      2015/16: Bellerin 172/36 (4.8ppg), Alderweireld 166 in 38 (4.4ppg).
      2016/17: Alonso 177 in 31 (5.7ppg), Cahill 178 in 37 (4.8ppg), Azpilicueta 170 in 38 (4.5ppg).
      2017/18: Alonso 165 in 33 (5.0ppg), Azpilicueta 175 in 37 (4.7ppg).
      2018/19: Alexander-Arnold 185 in 29 (6.4ppg), Robertson 213 in 36 (5.9ppg), van Dijk 208 in 38 (5.5ppg), Alonso 161 in 31 (5.2ppg), Laporte 177 in 35 (5.1ppg), Luiz 164 in 36 (5.0ppg).

      Baines and Vidic in 2011/12 were the last players to be priced at 8.0, even though Vidic had only scored 148 in 35 (4.2ppg) in 2010/11.
      FPL have lowered top defenders prices since then, and despite his excellent record Baines' price in 2014/15 was only 7.0m.
      Only Alonso, who started at 7.0m in 2017/18 and 6.5m in 2018/19, has been able to match Baines' form since then - until this season when the Liverpool trio set new standards of excellence.
      The Liverpool trio will certainly all be at least 6.5m, and one or two of them could well be as high as 7.5 or even 8.0m - but we'll just have to wait and see. I can't see them being more than 8.0.

      If some think that's too expensive then they can select other players instead (and if we want to include Mane or Salah too then we won't have room in our teams for more than two of them anyway).
      Or if they think they're almost essential then they can make changes elsewhere in their squads in order to accommodate them - what's the problem?

      1. The Rumour Mill
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Very useful stats, thank you. I think fpl need to strike a balance of value and of pricing players such that they make you think before including them. At 6.5 or 7.0 I think they are autoincludes for most managers and therefore priced too low. 8.5m and above and I think everyone would avoid them (even if they could still deliver ok value at 8.5m if they repeat this season's heroics). 7.5 or 8 feels about right as a price that some would go for and some wouldn't.

      2. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Great post

      3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Do FFS give us this data as part of our membership fee?

        1. RedLightning
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          No, the FPL totals are from my own records, and some of the starting prices are from GreenWindmill.
          The Members Area is more concerned with underlying stats than with FPL points and price history.

  12. Richd
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    So I’ve just about finished reading Wasting Your Wildcard on my holiday.

    I would thoroughly recommend it. Has some nice insights into how Mark started FFS, and plenty of interesting info about the game in general. Was half expecting a random FFS member to approach me on the beach.. but alas, no.

    1. Depldax
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Agreed it was a good read. Preferred the sob stories and funny ones. I did think parts of it were a bit boring though when it delved into the history.

    2. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Where did you go?

      1. Fpl Richie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Trying decide if Flapjack is a florida or a Bognor Regis kinda guy

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

        I’m in Cape Verde !

        And yes I am on FFS while on holiday 😉

        1. George Sillett
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          This is very depressing.

    3. Ron_Swanson
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Is it on Kindle?

    4. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Hard to switch off from FPL isn’t it 😀 I am in Turkey right now!

  13. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    So Cech is going to join Chelsea as Sporting Director after the EL final.

    Would be funny if Arsenal started Leno in goal now and Leno made a howler that cost Arsenal the EL.

  14. Jonny HOW SON?
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Look out guys, VVD and Ward-Prowse rising in price tonight

  15. Scheister
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    ManCity buying titles again got me to wondering how much PL clubs have spent on transfers recently. I knew Spurs weren't in to buying super stars like Auba, Ozil, and Sanchez, but had no clue they have spent the least of ANY PL club in last 10 years. And second least, to Southampton, in last 5 years. Also CL final isn't too shabby for being the first club in PL history to make 0 signings two transfer windows running.

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

      https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/fuenfjahresvergleich/wettbewerb/GB1

      Sure hope we can at least spend some $ to keep Poch around
      ...forever

    2. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      I think that’s net spend.

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

        Right, money spend on transfers in and made on transfers out.

  16. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Great article. Potter is an exciting signing. Remembered when Ghodos and Sema tore up the EL and Allsvenken under him, think Knockeart, Izquerido and Jahanbaksh can flourish under him.
    Couple an attacking manager with owners who can afford to be patient with a manager and have decent enough resources to take advantage of in the window, and it could be an interesting season ahead for Brighton.

  17. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    How much attention do you pay to player value over the season?

    Just had a squint at the stats on the main site. No fewer than ten of the top twenty best value players were goalies. Of those only Etheridge Flappy and Foster and Pat (in 20th place) were budget options. Arguably Etheridge was a fluke with multiple penalty saves.

    Is this an argument to consider a more premium keeper? You’d probably back Flappy to repeat next season but I’m less certain of Foster and given DDG was the only premium (I think) to fail arent there better odds of getting value by aiming high. Kepa for example has a higher probability of being value than a 4.5

    I’ve never really looked at these numbers. But given gk transfers are rarely optimal isn’t there a case for just picking a sure thing so you won’t need to twist? That’s what I did last time - got DDG of course.

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Oh missed Leno/Cech from failed premium keepers but Arsenal defence!

    2. MINUS FOUR
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      The main reason I don't like spending any more than necessary on GK is that, unlike all other positions, the really big hauls are actually more likely to come from the budget options, because when they do manage to keep a CS, with loads of saves, and maybe even a penalty save, they get 3 bonus and you fluke your way into so awesome scores for 4.5m. I prefer that than the old 6 or 2 from a premium GK. Next season it might be even more of a lottery with VAR - will budget keepers get more chances to make penalty saves and earn huge double figure GW scores? It's all a lottery, so I like buying a cheaper ticket.

      There's also nothing more frustrating than not being able to afford an important transfer move and realising if you didn't have expensive keeper doing not much, you could have made the moves.

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Part of my thinking is driven by treating the gk as the 4th premium defender - looked at like that you’re saving money by getting Ederson over Laporte say and so freeing up transfer funds. He’ll score lower presumably but offer the same value overall. It then becomes a question of whether the savings you make produce enough points elsewhere.

        Tangentially. One issue with getting the premium defenders in is that I’d guess their prices won’t move in the same way as last season. Part of the charm of the Liverpool 3 is how they added to tv - hard to see that happening again if they come in at the high end of estimates

  18. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Interesting article.

    Potter always seems to get praise for performing miracles, getting Ostersunds promoted on 500 attendances and doing ok with Swansea after losing so many players, but ....

    Ostersunds average attendances in their first promotion season was 700+ whilst the league average was 250 and some clubs had attendances if just over 100. They were a big club in the region leagues for their first 2 promotions.

    Swansea did sell a load of players, but there was a plan in place. The Swans finished 4th in the U23 PL, obviously above many of the top clubs.

    Their U23s had been developed for quite a few years as a Cat A Academy and many of these young players had also been loaned out and had first team experience.

    To put this in to protective, whilst the Swans had just one senior center back, but they also had Joe Rodon who had about 20 senior games to his name. Swans also had Keiran Harries who likewise had 20 senior games under his belt. These are not kids, but 22 year old players schooled at U23 level playing against the best the PL has.Throw in Dan James, Connor Roberts, Matt Grimes, George Byers, Oliver McBurnie and the picture was no quite as bleak as everyone makes out.

    Potter inherited a great crop of youngsters that were ready to listen and learn at Swansea.

    Swansea also gave Potter freedom and space to do his tinkering, rest and rotate and play different formations. In fact Potter played 7 different formations and played players out of position as a norm.

    He dropped Grimes to center back, Naughton to midfield, McBurnie was often dropped deep, wingers played in 10 spot, wingers played as strikers ... it was really a big mish mass of rotation and fluidity (mayhem at times).

    So on to Brighton, Potter will not be afforded at Brighton the flexibility that Swansea gave him to chop and change; in the PL you have to hit the ground running.

    Also I am not sure Brighton have the players for his high risk game of passing it around at the back; the PL teams know how to press and thy do it well, better than Championship teams.

    It’s going to be interesting, but a word of warning if you are looking at Brighton players because it will be very fluid for a while and you won’t know if your attacking mid will be asked to drop deep or your winger will become a full back ...