Pre-Season

Assessing the budget FPL midfielders in 2019/20

Having already looked at the Fantasy Premier League midfielders in the lowest price rung, we now turn our attention to those in the £5.0m bracket.

With a handful of £4.5m options available for bench fodder status, the £5.0m midfielder has to offer something more to justify the extra outlay.

David Brooks was one such asset last season but has been handed a price rise to £6.5m after returning 123 FPL points in his debut Premier League season.

The £5.0m rung is a curious mixture of defensive midfielders, deep-lying playmakers, reserves, academy products, summer signings and assets from the newly promoted clubs.

At the time of writing, there are 43 midfielders available for £5.0m and we will take you through them all here.

Players who aren’t in this rung have their prices written in brackets.

Players from the ‘Big Six’ Clubs

N’Golo Kante scored more FPL points (116) in 2018/19 than any midfielder available for £5.0m next season.

Of the ten players from the top half-dozen teams available at this price, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are perhaps of most interest.

Kante, indeed, is the most-owned FPL midfielder under £7.0m at the time of writing.

Should Jorginho stay in west London then the pair might be reunited at the base of Frank Lampard’s 4-2-3-1, with the new Chelsea boss having been full of praise for the Frenchman at his first press conference.

Kante played almost all of last season to the right of Jorginho in a three-man central midfield and was afforded more license to get forward as a result.

The former Leicester spoiler’s total of eight attacking returns was his best ever in FPL but we may see him back where he arguably belongs next season, at the base of the Chelsea midfield, now that Sarri has departed.

That may in turn free Jorginho up, although it would seem likely that the former Napoli ‘regista’ will still be sitting deep.

It will be intriguing to note who takes over from Eden Hazard as Chelsea’s first-choice penalty-taker, with Jorginho having scored from the spot in Gameweek 1 of 2018/19.

There’ll likely be little interest in Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira, who did return two goals and four assists last season but who was a substitute in ten of his 34 league appearances and who picked up seven bookings.

Manchester United midfielders Andreas Pereira, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic (none of whom recorded more than two attacking returns last season) have been joined in the £5.0m bracket by starlet Angel Gomes, who will be among a cluster of academy products hoping for more pitch-time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

At present, though, there is nothing to excite Fantasy managers at Old Trafford at this price in midfield.

Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama look to be further down the pecking order following the arrival of Tanguy Ndombele (£6.0m), while Moussa Sissoko‘s fine contribution to the Spurs cause isn’t reflected in his Fantasy returns (just one league goal since his move from Newcastle in 2016).

Players from Other Top-Half Clubs

Mark Noble has scored each of his last seven penalty kicks in the Premier League.

There are a cluster of players available for £5.0m who represent Wolves, Everton, Leicester and West Ham, all of whom finished in the top ten last season.

At Molineux, Ivan Cavaleiro, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adama Traore were very much second-string players last season.

Not one of these players hit double figures for starts in 2018/19 but Wolves’ Europa League commitments could see them increasingly called upon, while it would be amazing if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had the same incredible injury record next season.

Helder Costa has departed for Leeds United, meanwhile.

Wilfred Ndidi – an ever-present last season – is likely to be widely ignored given the number of attack-minded options elsewhere in the Leicester City side.

The Nigeria international did score two goals last season, though, and had more shots in the box than any Premier League midfielder now available at £5.0m.

Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye is a similar type of player, while Ademola Lookman will find it hard to record more starts on the flank (he made only three last season) unless there are a spate of injuries at Goodison Park.

Declan Rice’s FPL position has changed since last season and gone with it is his ‘out of position’ tag, so he is now not eligible for four points when West Ham keep a clean sheet.

Jack Wilshere made only four starts in yet another injury-ravaged campaign but Mark Noble at least offers the incentive of being the Hammers’ first-choice penalty-taker as the Premier League gets ready to embrace VAR.

No midfielder in the £5.0m bracket scored more top-flight goals than Noble last season, with four of his five strikes coming from the spot.

Players from the Three Promoted Clubs

Oliver Norwood scored three goals and registered eight assists last season.

Aston Villa’s Andre Green will likely be a backup option out wide this season, having made just eight starts in the Championship in 2018/19.

Kenny McLean was a pivotal figure for Norwich City in the second half of last season, starting all of the Canaries’ final 16 fixtures after returning from injury.

The Scotland international registered an eye-catching three goals and six assists in his 20 appearances in the second tier, although has tended to play in a deep role under Daniel Farke and there is competition for places in the engine room.

Sheffield United pair John Fleck and Oliver Norwood also racked up the assists from deep last season.

Fleck supplied ten goals from midfield and took his share of corners, while no Sheffield United player created more ‘big chances’.

The Scotland international only failed to start one Championship fixture.

Fleck may have registered more assists than Norwood last season but the former Reading, Brighton and Fulham midfielder was the creative heart of the Blades’ midfield.

Pablo Hernandez was the only Championship player who supplied more chances than Norwood in 2018/19, while no-one in the second tier took more accurate corners or free-kicks than the Blades’ playmaker.

READ MORE: Our comprehensive guide to Sheffield United’s midfielders and forwards.

The Rest

Jonjo Shelvey made just two starts in the final 26 Gameweeks last season.

Mario Lemina may be on his way out of Southampton this summer but in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg the Saints possess one of the popular bench fodder options of last season.

Hojbjerg registered four goals and three assists in 2018/19, having started the campaign at £4.5m.

The Dane has been handed a minor price rise this time round and is obviously less appealing as a result, particularly as he will likely be one of the two sitting midfielders should Ralph Hasenhuttl proceed with a 4-2-2-2 as expected.

No midfielder available for £5.0m had more shots on target in the Premier League than Hojbjerg last season.

The options at Bournemouth are limited to a reserve winger – Jordon Ibe – and four central midfielders.

Andrew Surman and Lewis Cook failed to register a single attacking return although were hampered by injuries, while Jefferson Lerma picked up an off-putting 12 yellow cards.

Dan Gosling, like Lerma, recorded two goals and as many assists but would seem likely to be behind Cook in the pecking order once his teammate has recovered from an ACL injury.

The injured Yves Bissouma is set to miss the start of the season at Brighton, while teammate Davy Propper offers little in the way of goal threat from central midfield.

Solly March, who registered one goal and six assists under Chris Hughton last season, would be a semi-interesting prospect should he nail down a starting spot under the more attack-minded Graham Potter but competition for places is fierce in the wide areas, particularly after the purchase of Leandro Trossard (£6.0m).

Aaron Lennon may well be third in line on the right flank at Burnley, while Jack Cork offers not much more than security of starts – the central midfielder only missed one of the Clarets’ 38 league games last season and registered three attacking returns in the process.

Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate is another midfield spoiler who contributes little going forward and is far from sure of his place in Roy Hodgson’s starting XI, while Tom Cleverley and Ken Sema look set to be backup options at Watford again after each failing to hit double figures for starts in 2018/19.

The influential Etienne Capoue is available at the same price, although his seven-goal season in 2016/17 is looking increasingly anomalous – the ex-Spurs midfielder has found the back of the net only twice in the past 24 months.

Newcastle United trio Jonjo Shelvey, Ki Sung-yueng and Sean Longstaff are more creative than Isaac Hayden (£4.5m) alongside them but there is much uncertainty over who will line up in the Magpies’ central midfield come Gameweek 1, with a new manager yet to be appointed.

Newcastle’s opening run of fixtures is one of the worst in the division, too.

Longstaff is fighting his way back from a knee injury and is a reported target for Manchester United, while Shelvey made only two starts from Gameweek 12 onwards.

Ki recorded just one assist from 14 starts.

1,004 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JJeyy
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Wilson or vardy

    1. Scotty B
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Wilson

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Get both, big season for them imo

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Salah Sterling + big Defense won't allow us to get both 😮

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Salah and KDB allows it 😉

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Ha ha
            I'm not brave enough to go for KDB instead of Raz then.
            Kudos to all whom going for KDB.

            1. Wild Rover
              • 13 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              I fancy KDB and 2.5m elsewhere to beat Sterling

              1. JJeyy
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Yes I am doing the same at the moment

                1. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  So get both then 😉

                  1. JJeyy
                    • 8 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    would mean getting rid of siggy

                    1. Wild Rover
                      • 13 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Do it, much better value elsewhere

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

                Nice.
                I'm backing Raz to edge over KDB + 2.5m which is hell of a task if KDB starts with all cylinders firing

                1. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  I think people overlook the fact that while Sterling and Aguero will surely score more, KDB could well be assisting them and is always good for a long range goal or free kick

                  1. Amey
                    • 5 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Yeah
                    I really like him as a fpl option as he can assist for fun.
                    Maybe later in the season when TV is 104/5 not 100 then

              3. FPL_Gyarados
                • 10 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Same here

      2. cravencottage
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Agree- both

      3. RedLightning
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Would you rate them ahead of Jimenez, who is currently the highest owned player in the game?

    3. I Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Wilson to start. Vardy will be a great pick this season though.

      1. The Big Fella
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Why do you think Vardy will be a good pick this season? BR?

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          His season took off after Rodgers took over and they are building a great team around him

          1. I Member
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            This. Vardy is the focal point of a good team under a very attacking manager. Expecting more of the same under Rodgers if they can sign Tielemans and keep their best players.

    4. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Partyyyyyyy

    5. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Currently on Vardy and King but Wilson prob better at the start with those fixtures.

    6. I AM THE FPL MONSTER
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Vardy easy!!

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        It’s not that simple, he costs £1m more

  2. Gringo Kid
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Salah is going home to be fresh for the opener

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      ©

    2. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Yeah annoying

  3. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    S Africa 1-0 v Egypt with 6 minutes left!

  4. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Salah on holidays.

    1. Bragazeti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Short holidays

  5. Party time
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Viva la South Africa

      1. Pieterke30
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Why?
        Everybody will have Salah now. Boring.

        If Egypt had played the final, everybody would have had a decision to make - and mine was settled

        1. Goat
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Maybe he’s from South Africa

          1. Party time
              4 years, 8 months ago

              Nah... It feels good to see Egypt knocked out tho

          2. Party time
              4 years, 8 months ago

              Lol

        2. Pieterke30
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          We know all have to have Salah

          Triple Pool def is dead

          1. Party time
              4 years, 8 months ago

              Not "all"

            • Amey
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              It was nice till it lasted !!
              (10 day's 😛 )

            • Conor1
              • 6 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              It’s a pity for Mo but a great result for Liverpool.

          2. The Overthinker
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Draft #7
            0 ITB

            Lloris
            Trippier Robertson TAA coleman
            Salah milivojevic* Bilva trossard*
            Kane king

            Button yarmolenko Reid Greenwood

            * Probably to be changed .

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

            South Africa having a good night 🙂

            1. The Overthinker
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              In football as well as in cricket

            2. Party time
                4 years, 8 months ago

                I would love to spend the night with a South African girl

                1. Now I'm Panicking
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Not sure she would be so keen.

                  1. Wild Rover
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Jo Burg takes anyone

                  2. Party time
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      🙂

              • Big boy Bowen
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Stuck between 2 drafts.

                Which do you prefer please?

                A) 3-5-2*

                Ederson
                Robbo | VVD | Digne
                Salah | KdB | Zaha | Maddison | Dendoncker
                Kane | King

                Button | Kelly | Rico | Greenwood

                *Assuming it's not clear Zinchenko is nailed

                B) 5-2-3

                Ryan
                Robbo | VVD | Digne | Zinchenko | 4.5
                Salah | Sterling
                Kane | King | Deulofeu/Jota

                Button | Dendoncker | Hayden | Stephens

                Essentially it's between:

                Ryan | Zinchenko | 4.5 def | Sterling | Deulofeu/Jota
                Vs
                Ederson | Zaha | Maddison | KdB | Dendoncker

                Thanks all

                1. Zero
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Neither for me I'm afraid

              • Amey
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Great job by south Africa in cricket & football !!

                1. The Big Fella
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Love seeing Australia lose 😉

                  1. Amey
                    • 5 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Ha ha
                    Yes.
                    India vs NZ so I'm happy !!

                    1. The Big Fella
                      • 7 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      England vs Australia though..... I hope it isn't a repeat of the 1st time round

              • Ceefax Page 302
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Have decided to put together a team without Salah, Mane, Sterling or Aguero, spreading money across 13 of the 15 players. How could i improve the following?

                Pickford, Woodman
                Robertson, Digne, Ake, Duffy, Kelly
                KDB, Sigurdsson, Fraser, Anderson, Zaha
                Vardy, Wilson Jimenez

                1. Now I'm Panicking
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Put in Salah, Sterling and Mane.

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

                  Team looks good but you are gambling that Salah and/ or Sterling do not starting season well. They will have high ownership and captaincy so if they do start well your rank will be low.

                3. Big boy Bowen
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Not bad, looks like an auto select team

                  1. Ceefax Page 302
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Lol, no, created it myself! 🙂

                4. Nailed Jesus
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  The only benefit of not having Salah and Mane is so you can have all three of Robbo, TAA and VVD imo, they are the best value players in the game.

                  1. Ceefax Page 302
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    1 yes, 2 perhaps though isn't all three overkill esp if they concede?

                    1. Nailed Jesus
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 6 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      It's a long term game. 21 CS last season, I'd take my chances. Also check out the number of goals, assists and bps between them last season. No one in your current team scored higher than any of them last season.

              • Scotty B
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                HE'S COMING HOME.
                SALAH'S COMING HOME!

                1. Now I'm Panicking
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Via Ibiza

                2. TAT
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  GW1 captain sorted then.

                3. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  He was always going to start anyway, ridiculous over thinking on here

                  1. Amey
                    • 5 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    😛
                    But but Kane .....

                  2. goriuanx
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    3 weeks off from the final (19th July) would've meant he'd return to training on 9th August. Same day as Norwich game. So unless he cut his holiday short, which he doesn't have to or which the club might advise against, he was a doubt for GW1.

                    1. Wild Rover
                      • 13 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      You forget that Salah has a say.

                  3. Pieterke30
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 7 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    BS

                    1. Wild Rover
                      • 13 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Well articulated

                      Gfy

                4. FPL_Gyarados
                  • 10 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  +1!

              • panda07
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Salah nailed in GW1 squad now

              • Fit of Pique
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Any takers?
                0.5itb

                Ederson
                TAA, VVD, Digne, Coleman
                Salah, KDB, Sigurdsson, Townsend
                Vardy, King
                ---
                Button, Dendoncker, Kelly, Greenwood

                Intending on perma-capping Salah

                1. FPL_Gyarados
                  • 10 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  I like that a lot.

                  1. Fit of Pique
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 8 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Glad you like it, and thanks for the reply!

              • Bielsa's Bucket
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                I want Sterling, but KDB makes everything else look so good.

                a) KDB, Siggy, Digne
                b) Sterling, Zaha, 4.5

                1. Gringo Kid
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  A

                2. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  A by a mile but there is better value than Siggy

                  1. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 9 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Who do you prefer over Siggy WR?

                    I can’t seem to see past him!

                    1. Wild Rover
                      • 13 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Fraser, Perez, Maddison, Bernardo, Zaha, Brooks, Moura (2 weeks)

                      Siggy flatters to deceive

                      1. Wild Rover
                        • 13 Years
                        4 years, 8 months ago

                        Chelsea bargains to be revealed too

                        1. Lebowski85
                          • 11 Years
                          4 years, 8 months ago

                          True

                        2. Bielsa's Bucket
                          • 12 Years
                          4 years, 8 months ago

                          Yea, waiting to see how Lamps lines up. Still so many question marks

                        3. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
                          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                          • 9 Years
                          4 years, 8 months ago

                          Definitely agree with this .

                      2. Lebowski85
                        • 11 Years
                        4 years, 8 months ago

                        Siggy does flatter to deceive a bit interms of his skill set, but his end product is what counts and he always get goals and assists.

                        This season Everton could do very very well & he got 180 in a fairly mixed season for us.

                        With our opening fixtures, id say he is a must. The others may well emerge though.... particularly the Leicester boys

                3. cravencottage
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  A- KDB is a must

                4. Bielsa's Bucket
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Cheers

              • I AM THE FPL MONSTER
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 4 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Tammy, Giroud or Bats...who is the most likely starter???

                1. i am jose mourinho
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Giroud

                  1. Wild Rover
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Nobody knows, including you

                    1. Skalla
                      • 7 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Lampard might have a clue!

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

                      Kepa knows 😉

                      1. Wild Rover
                        • 13 Years
                        4 years, 8 months ago

                        His assistant has left.

                    3. I AM THE FPL MONSTER
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 4 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Thanks for that uncle Albert!

                      1. Wild Rover
                        • 13 Years
                        4 years, 8 months ago

                        Np, just keep an eye on pre season, it will soon become clear

                2. FPL_Gyarados
                  • 10 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Imagine if they all started.

              • Pieterke30
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Salah in then. Will have to choose one of Kane or Sterling.

              • I Member
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Sterling vs De Bruyne + 2.5m seems to be the big template decision atm. Which side are you on and why?

                1. Gringo Kid
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Currently on De Bruyne + 2.5

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

                  Raz
                  Consistent fpl points in last two seasons.
                  Plays as Forward.
                  © Option
                  Last but not least I don't want to try Kdb atm. Would much rather wait and see him playing 4/5 games without getting any Injury scares again

                3. cravencottage
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  KDB- fantastic value

                4. pingissimus
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Both why not?

                  A related decision I think will increasingly be Vardy Kane.

                  I rather like the Sterling KdB Vardy Kane combo with TAA and a Robbo it has to be said

                5. The Big Fella
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Sterling - KDB may not play straight away

                6. Jaws
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Both. That team scored +200 goals the last 2 seasons. Double up an absolute must for me.

              • i am jose mourinho
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Are we sure kdb will start in gw1 ?

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

                  No

                2. cravencottage
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Why wouldn’t he? He is their best MF

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

                    If fit and has good preseason then he will start but with 5 weeks to go not even Pep can be sure

                  2. goriuanx
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Bernardo is their best midfielder. But a fit KDB is in City's first XI, it's just a question of him rebuilding his fitness and finding rhythm.

                3. the axolotl
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  its july dude

              • diesel001
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Good day for South Africa - winning in the cricket and football.

                Poor day for Britain / England - Evans and Dart lose in tennis. End up having to play Australia in the semi-final in cricket. Lose to France in basketball semi. Lose to Sweden in football 3rd place play-off.

                1. Skalla
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Murray also lost but then won so could have been a worse day for Britain 🙂

                2. FPL Joker
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  I couldn’t give a rat’s arse, old chap. We’re all human beings separated by stupid, bloody map lines.

              • Scotty B
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Is there an article for 7-7.5 mids? So much choice...
                Zaha, Sanchez, Willian, Pedro, Maddison, Fraser

                1. The Big Fella
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Why would Sanchez feature in anybody's team?!

                  1. Wild Rover
                    • 13 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    He could well be in most peoples team by the season starts. If he puts his head down and goes for it he could be the best value player in the game by a mile

                    Big if

                    1. g40steve
                      • 6 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Went off injured tonight after 17 mins

                  2. FPL_Gyarados
                    • 10 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Helps our ranks anyway if he does 🙂

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

                  With Bournemouth's 2 opening fixtures, and so much uncertainty around much of the rest, I think Fraser is the best option. Quite glad he is 7.5 as well, because you don't have to rush your transfer if it looks like somebody is going up by .1. You can let that second game play out and make sure you're making the right move before acting.

                  1. Scotty B
                    • 11 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    I have triple Liverpool, City & Bournemouth atm with double Everton...
                    King is a certainty but Fraser & Ake are place holders who may or may not stay by time we get to GW1.

                    1. LSK
                      • 5 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      My advice is to stick with Fraser. Best 2 fixtures, nailed, a proven performer, and an easy switch to any of the others if they prove to be better after a couple of games. No harm having double or triple Bournemouth to begin with.

              • Aram95
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Sigurdsson or Bilva and why?

                1. FPL_Gyarados
                  • 10 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Siggy. Penalties.

                  1. Aram95
                    • 7 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Thanks!

                2. Skalla
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Siggy for me as there is better City options than BSilva.

                  1. Aram95
                    • 7 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Thanks!

                3. pingissimus
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Siggy

                  Bilva is a suboptimal use of a City forward spot and there’s no saying he’ll get a forward role consistently. Sane has zero love of course but may well start up top. The phasing out of Dilva could mean Bilva reverts to assisting the assister.

                  Worth noting that City preseason will tell us little probs as with skin and Jesus absent there will be ad hoc formations

                  1. Aram95
                    • 7 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Thanks!

              • Dreaming of glory
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Heaton - 4.0
                Taa - wan b - robertson - dunk - 4.0
                Richarlison - salah - felipe a - zaha -deondunker
                Kane - vardy - 4.5

                0 itb. First draft thoughts

                1. Scotty B
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Wan B & Zaha are interesting choices.

                  What's your reasoning behind those two?

                  1. Dreaming of glory
                    • 8 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Id utd start well wan b will be the one ppl move to so taking a punt on him early.

                    Think zaha is mid priced midfielder with best attacking potential and its good hes been reclassified. Looking at palace striking options he could start uptop if no1 else comes in

                    1. Wild Rover
                      • 13 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Whoever partners Laporte at CB will be much better value than AWB. Considering he used to be a winger he offers little attacking threat

                      1. Dreaming of glory
                        • 8 Years
                        4 years, 8 months ago

                        True, thats one to watch just no idea who it will be beside him and rotation could kick in there as well

                    2. Scotty B
                      • 11 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Fair comment. Monitoring both myself along with every other 5/5.5 def & 7/7.5 mid

              • Scotty B
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Salah & Aguero nice little 5 week break now...gotta be certainties in everyone's teams these two. Playing for City and Liverpool, both score 20+ goals and both on pens.

                1. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  Nice to see you contributing more than question after question. Hope it continues 🙂

                  Not much has changed though, they were both nailed on starters anyway

              • Wild Rover
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Gomez can’t fail at West Ham with the players around him. I reckon they will do well this season

              • I AM THE FPL MONSTER
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 4 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Best £4.0m defender atm??

                1. Wild Rover
                  • 13 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  There are none, wait for pre season to see if one emerges

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

                  Nobody knows. I'm on Reid but he's just a place holder until pre-season nears its end.

              • jimmy.floyd
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                VVD or Laporte? Have TAA

                1. Eytexi
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  I'd go VVD.

              • Ci Siamo
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Looks like Arnie is leaving West Ham

                Who would be an ideal striker for them for FPL terms? I’m thinking Rondon

                1. Eytexi
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  He's heavily linked and would definitely be a good FPL pick at 6.5m.

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

                  Out of those mentioned - Belotti from Torino or a few of the links from the Bundesliga (Haller, Mateta) would be interesting fpl options.
                  They are still big on Gomez though and I'm sure Rondon wouldn't be first choice/nailed.

                  1. Lebowski85
                    • 11 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Apparently Everton are now looking at Gomez. It could be noise from Celta Vigo though to get things moving

              • Macam Dave
                • 6 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Evening all! Man I wish the season had started today!

                Out of interest anyone successfully using their fpl knowledge in football betting? I've had mixed success eg goal scorer market, clean sheets et

                1. FPL Joker
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  I never met a gambler who has won more than they’ve lost. There is a reason for this.

                  1. Macam Dave
                    • 6 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Yeah just wondered tho if fpl knowledge can help give you an edge over average Joe punter?

                  2. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 9 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    That’s because it’s a mugs game.

              • Macam Dave
                • 6 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Evening all! Roll on start of season.

                Out of interest anyone had any success using heir fpl knowledge on football betting eg goal scorer market or clean sheets etc. I've been dabbling, mixed success etc

                1. Lebowski85
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  No. Betting odds are quite handy to help with FPL selection dilemmas though. Generally the statistics behind betting odds are superior to any speadsheet someone can muster up here.

                  1. Macam Dave
                    • 6 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    Yeah very true