Scout Reports

What FPL managers can expect from new Chelsea boss Frank Lampard

The appointment of Frank Lampard as the new Chelsea head coach is an interesting one for Blues’ fans and Fantasy managers alike.

The retired midfielder has had only one year in club management, having led Derby County to a Championship play-off final in 2018/19.

Maurizio Sarri’s 11-month stay in west London ended with his appointment as Juventus manager in June and there is palpable hope among the Stamford Bridge faithful that Sarri’s exit could be a positive one for the club’s many academy products.

Lampard has already hinted that he will give youth a chance next season and that prospect will seem even likelier if Chelsea’s two-window transfer ban is upheld.

The departure of Eden Hazard is a blow and, with the Blues currently unable to recruit, we are faced with a strange situation of no Chelsea player being available for more than £7.5m in Fantasy Premier League next season.

Bargains could be had among the Blues’ squad, then, with the likes of Willian (£7.0m) and Christian Pulisic (£7.5m) catching the eye in the mid-price midfield bracket and several academy graduates – such as Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount, who are still yet to be priced up – potentially making the step up to senior level in 2019/20.

To help us piece together a picture of Lampard the manager, we have enlisted the help of Derby County fan site/Twitter account 12th Ram for further insight on the Chelsea boss.

What Style of Football Does Lampard Use?

The attacking returns posted by Jayden Bogle last season may be a clue as to how Frank Lampard wants his Chelsea full-backs to play in 2019/20.

We have only one season’s worth of evidence to draw upon but there were plenty of clues at Derby for what type of football Lampard will try to play in west London.

Like Sarri, Lampard frequently used a 4-3-3 but there were differences within the two systems.

Lampard often opted for an additional midfield enforcer (i.e. Bradley Johnson) just in front of the back four, as opposed to only playing a Jorginho (£5.0m)-type of ‘regista’ there.

N’Golo Kante (£5.0m) may well be the man Lampard turns to in that position, should he stick to a 4-3-3.

In his first press conference, Lampard said:

I’ve said it before, Kante is one of the greatest midfield players in the world. In the last few years, his performances have been outstanding. My job will be to find the best position to get the best out of him. I know the qualities, the attributes he has.

The new Chelsea boss exacted a high press from the front at Derby and high energy levels were asked of County’s midfielders and forwards when both in and out of possession.

The youthful zest of Ross Barkley (£6.0m) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£6.5m) may nicely fit into a similar system, although where that would leave Jorginho is another question.

It’s not a given that Lampard will use a 4-3-3 at Chelsea, of course. The new Blues’ boss experimented with a similar 4-2-3-1, a 4-4-2 and a wing-back system during 2018/19.

The full-backs in Lampard’s Derby teams have been encouraged to get forward to provide width, with County’s wide midfielders having generally played as more narrow inside-forwards rather than out-and-out wingers.

Right-back Jayden Bogle, indeed, registered more assists than any of his team-mates last season.

One of the weaknesses of Lampard’s stewardship has been the spaces left behind his gallivanting full-backs when they bomb forward.

Similarly, the new Chelsea boss’s insistence on a high line and playing out from the back also caused a problem or two.

12th Ram said:

Lampard was very clear from the outset that he wanted to play a fast, aggressive, attacking game and at times we saw that in action.

However, his stubbornness to mix up the tactics often led to us being one-dimensional and predictable. Especially playing out from the back when we didn’t have the players to do so – it cost us a few goals!

Most Derby fans would agree that his tactical stubbornness – or being naive – cost us a few times last season.

Rotation is the Fantasy manager’s nemesis and 12th Ram said that Lampard is prone to making the odd change to his line-ups on a week-to-week basis. In particular, he referenced the flanks, which could slightly temper interest in Willian and Pedro (£7.0m) ahead of the pre-season matches.

He’s a bit of a rotator but this doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his favourites. Expect changes each game but usually on the flanks or up top, whereas he tends to keep a more settled defence.

For much more detailed analysis of Lampard’s debut season as manager, may we point you in the direction of Ram Srinivas’s superb in-depth piece that delves into the Derby data from 2018/19.

Will Lampard put his faith in youth?

Tammy Abraham has returned to Chelsea after hitting 26 goals for Aston Villa in the Championship last season.

Lampard made positive noises about Chelsea’s youth system in his first press conference and indeed he worked with two of the club’s academy products at Derby last season.

Midfielder Mason Mount and centre-back Fikayo Tomori, who joined on loan from Chelsea in the summer of 2018, made 44 and 35 Championship appearances respectively for the Rams, with both players playing a prominent part in the play-offs too.

Five of the six players who racked up the most minutes for Derby in the second tier were 24 or under at the start of the campaign, one of whom was 18-year-old full-back Jayden Bogle.

However, 32-year-old Richard Keogh was an ever-present at the heart of the defence and thirtysomethings Bradley Johnson, Craig Bryson, Scott Carson, and Tom Huddlestone all made at least 20 league starts.

Veteran Ashley Cole was also recruited in the January transfer window to add experience to the squad.

As a result, not one of Derby’s starting XIs featured in the top 50 youngest matchday line-ups of the 2018/19 Championship season.

To paraphrase Alan Partridge, it will probably be evolution and not revolution at the Bridge next year as Lampard looks to bed in a few young prospects with the future in mind while retaining a senior core of players in the first team.

Indeed, in his press conference, Lampard said:

On one hand, trying to develop young players, I think that’s really important, but at the same time, I want to work with the experienced players. I want players that, whether you’re 18 years of age or 32 years of age, you feel like Chelsea’s your club.

If we talk about losing Eden Hazard, yes we can understand that. But at the same time, we also have a very strong squad of players and I don’t want to talk down this squad because there is huge talent there. A team that managed to come third last year in the Premier League and managed to win the Europa League. We haven’t been decimated, we haven’t lost players from everywhere, we still have a very strong squad.

How Did Lampard’s Derby Compare With Sarri’s Chelsea?

Both Maurizio Sarri and Eden Hazard have departed Stamford Bridge this summer.

While any statistical comparison between a Championship club and a side in the top flight is to be taken with a pinch of salt, it is worth looking at various underlying statistics to see how Derby County and Chelsea fared in 2018/19 – particularly as both teams were somewhere towards the top of their respective divisions.

Attacking Stats
TeamGoalsShotsShots on targetShots in the boxBig chancesShot accuracyGoal conversionAvg possession
Derby1.5113.334.596.961.4546.58%11.33%55.1%
Chelsea1.6615.975.189.952.5332.45%10.38%63.6%

Above: Underlying attacking stats for Derby and Chelsea in 2018/19 (including play-offs). All figures given bar shot accuracy, goal conversion and average possession are per game.

Chelsea bettered Derby for most of the key performance indicators listed above, although the Rams were more clinical with their chances.

What is illustrated here is just how many times Derby’s players chanced their arm from distance: 47.9% of their shots were from outside the box, a higher percentage than any other Premiership or Championship club.

Derby’s midfielders and forwards seem to have been actively encouraged by Lampard to try long-range efforts. No Championship player registered more attempts or goals from outside the box than Harry Wilson last season.

That may lead to more shots for the likes of Willian, Barkley and Loftus-Cheek, should a similar mentality be adopted at Stamford Bridge. Only 37.7% of Chelsea’s attempts were from outside the box in 2018/19.

As a result of this shoot-on-sight approach, the quality of opportunities was a concern. Derby’s rate of 1.45 big chances per game was bettered by 16 Premier League clubs in 2018/19.

Reading were the only second-tier club to have fewer shots in the six-yard box than Derby (31) last season.

Defensive Stats
TeamGoals concededClean sheetsShots concededShots on target concededShots in the box concededBig chances conceded
Derby1.200.2212.713.618.371.51
Chelsea1.030.429.183.265.681.45

Above: Underlying defensive stats for Derby and Chelsea in 2018/19 (including play-offs). All figures given are per game.

Chelsea outperformed Derby on the defensive front, with the Rams only recording 11 clean sheets in their 49 league and play-off matches: the Blues managed five more shut-outs in ten fewer games.

There was a very similar number of big chances conceded by both sides on average per game, although Derby were more prone to allowing shots in the box.

Did Lampard Make an Improvement at Derby on 2017/18?

Clean sheets weren’t easy to come by for Derby in 2018/19.

In the season before Lampard’s appointment, Derby finished sixth in the Championship – exactly where they did in 2018/19.

The Rams gained one point fewer under Lampard than they did under Gary Rowett, with their rate of goals (1.51 v 1.48) almost identical across the league and play-off matches in both campaigns.

Rowett’s Derby conceded at a rate of 1.04 goals per game, compared to 1.20 under Lampard.

Interestingly, Derby kept almost double the number of clean sheets under Rowett (20) – who was criticised in some quarters for his dour tactics – than they managed under Lampard (11).

The new Chelsea boss showed more attacking ambition than his predecessor at Pride Park, with Derby averaging 13.33 shots per game under Lampard compared to 11.81 under Rowett.

Lampard’s Rams did average more shots in the box per match than Rowett’s rather less exciting side (6.96 v 6.65) although there wasn’t a great deal in it as County repeatedly let fly from distance in the season just gone.

How Does Lampard Handle The Press?

Frank Lampard in his first press conference as Chelsea manager.

Lampard has always come across as fairly intelligent and polite as a player and pundit and those traits are again evident as a manager.

12th Ram said:

If you had half an eye on the Championship last season you would have heard all about Bielsa, Leeds and Spygate! Lampard carried himself incredibly well throughout it and rarely lost face.

In post-match interviews when we’d lost he’d be visibly angry but that’s what you want to see from the boss.

One of his big positives is his levelheadedness and professionalism with the media, as you’d expect from someone who’s been in the limelight for so many years.

What we FPL managers really want from him as Chelsea boss is clear and unequivocal quotes on the Blues’ injury situation.

According to 12th Ram, the prospects look good on that front:

He’s pretty upfront regarding injury news which will be a boost to Fantasy players. Can’t remember too many times where he’s been tricky in this regard.

Final Thoughts

Christian Pulisic, Chelsea’s most expensive player in FPL, is still cheaper than 13 other midfielders.

There is understandable caution about Lampard’s appointment given his inexperience at managerial level and the weaknesses that were apparent at Derby last season.

Nevertheless, it should be stressed that 2018/19 was as much a transitional year for the Rams as it was a learning curve for Lampard himself.

The then-County boss had to move several senior high-earners on early in his tenure and instil a completely different footballing ethos to the one his players were used to under the dour Rowett.

Any defensive frailties of his preferred style and formation would, you’d think, be helped no end by having Kante – rather than Tom Huddlestone or Bradley Johnson – to call upon in front of the back four in 2019/20.

It may well be that next season is a similarly transitional one for Chelsea that 2018/19 was for Derby, as Lampard begins the long-term process of integrating academy products into the first-team set-up and trying to coach “Sarri-ball” out of the senior players already at his disposal.

Should Chelsea’s transfer ban be upheld, Lampard would also be unable to recruit the exact type of player he is looking for to prosper in his system.

Pre-season will be an interesting watch, then, while the matches against Manchester United and Leicester City in Gameweeks 1 and 2 might be decent auditions if many of us are still to be convinced that the cut-price FPL options in Chelsea’s squad are as good as they seem.

1,169 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Gomez deal off for West Ham!

    Who do you think they will actually end up with?

    1. Buck The Trent
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Sturridge

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        We prefer players who don’t spend millions on someone who forces different breeds dogs to have sex with dogs they don’t want to have sex with

        1. Raul Madrid - That\'s …
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Eh?

          1. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            He has a one of a kind dog

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

              I beg your pardon? What on earth is this about?

              1. Ask Yourself
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Like the only dog ever that looks like his dog does. I only know as it was stolen recently

      2. Eze Really?
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Yep Hammers love to buy crocks

    2. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Rondon and balotelli would make me happy enough

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

      Andy Carrol also available and some were hoping for Ballotelli earlier.

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

      Florian Thauvin from Marseille

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        If that means yarmolenko plays striker then I’d love that! I don’t think thauvin would want to join

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

      Hoping they just stick Yarmolenko up top all year. Sure he has played up top in the past.

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Only for Ukraine and Kiev. West Ham will sign a striker. Our links to perisic are worrying me though as it means husillos doesn’t seem him as the right fit for some reason. We really need a striker far more

      2. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Antonio would be a better fit for a striker imo. Better in the air, and has played there in the past too.

        Of course they'll sign someone though.

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

    Was just trying different formations around in Rate my team and
    Tammy A showing as 6.5 m? But not added to game yet. If he has good preseason ( and this is going to be his price) that would be great price!

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Shhhhh but he’d go straight in mine at that price

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

      Yeah they added him in RMT to help with Chelsea projections but was just a guess on the price and he could be as high as 7.5 if it becomes clear he is first choice in pre-season before being added to the game.

    3. Brian Boitano
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Hmm can do it in the Championship but still has something to prove. Jota King also at 6.5m

  3. Your Man With The Hair
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Wait to you guys see this for a novel idea... three strikers!!

    1. Your Man With The Hair
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Ederson (4.0m)
      TAA, Alderweirld, Lascalles (Chester, 4.0m)
      Mane, KDB, Zaha, Duffy, (4.5m)
      King, Aguero, Jimenez

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        And look at the awful team it gets you with the prices this year

        1. Your Man With The Hair
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Haha! Is it really that bad?? Three decent defenders (including Ederson) and three midfielders that are in a lot of templates. Granted after that there's literally nothing!

          1. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Alder is a bad pick, the defence is unreliable and he has zero attacking threat. Lascelles and chester are both poor.
            Mané is still at afcon and doesn’t have penalties but salah does and isn’t at afcon. Duffy probably not even nailed after freeman signing. The rest of the team is good but the rest of that budget needs to be used better

      2. Brian Boitano
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        At least you’ve tried something different.

      3. Bobby Digital
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        I've gone with 3 upfront too.. different ones though.

  4. Marmalade Forest
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone got any concerns for the Super Cup and Chelsea/Liverpool players being rested/brought off early on GW1/2

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      They’ll only get brought off if they haul

    2. CSKlopp
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Meaningless tie...2nd teams out...PL games rule!

    3. Brian Boitano
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      No

  5. Herman Toothrot
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    A nice article on potential Leicester formations with the new signings:

    https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-ayoze-perez-arrival-could-3054478

    One thing that is clear to me is there is a standout option in midfield that is certainly being overlooked... Mr Harvey 6.0m Barnes.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I agree on Barnes. I can’t help but think they’ll sign a new right winger tho

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

        Perhaps but Gray is currently on RW. Barnes LW.

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Someone like Bowen from hull would be perfect

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

      He is cheaper than the rest for a reason as it is known around these parts that he can't hit a Barnes door! (Credit to Wild Rover :-))

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

        You can’t just say things because they can be used to make a half arsed pun though. Harvey Barnes is a quality player and a decent finisher. He was the best player in the championship when he was at West Brom and should find his feet with Leicester in the prem this year.

    3. Brian Boitano
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Cash bounty for triple Leicester midfield team

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        She fixtures clear up i’d Be all for this

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          When not she

        2. Brian Boitano
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Maddison Perez Tielemans

          1. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Oh boy

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

          9 to 17.

    4. Lovren an elevator
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Can't see one of Maddison/Perez not being nailed?!

  6. statenisland
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Been working with predicted scores for all players from the members area. This is the best combo I've come up with this evening.

    Ederson (Button)
    VVD, Laporte, David Luiz, TAA (Kelly)
    Kante, Sterling, Salah, Siggy (Hayden)
    Jimenez, Ings (Janssen)

    Ings is forecast to score significantly higher this season than last.

    Any thoughts?

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      You’ve either had consistently bad ideas or the algorithm is dodgy

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

        I'm using FFS data + I'm a data scientist so I know a thing or two about algorithms...

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Okay me data scientist. Do you really think Kante playing in a far deeper role than last year, Ings having a brand new strike partner and David Luiz having a new manager would result in a better outcome than the year before compared to other players who are better priced in a settled system?

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

            Let's play nicely 🙂 I'm just working with the FFS data. I agree with your comments though and will be tweaking the model throughout pre-season.

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

              Murray probably a better option at 6m

              1. Ask Yourself
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                See here is where they fail again. Murray has a new manager, is ageing and was getting really unfit end of last year. The new manager plays high paced counter attacking football, Murray doesn’t fit the style so shouldn’t score so highly

            2. Ask Yourself
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              I just think the algorithms lack imagination. I’m nowhere near intelligent enough to formulate one but I wish I could. Must be a great skill x

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

                I agree. At the moment all I'm doing is working with the FFS data. I will be building some weighting factors to account for some of the things you've mentioned. They will either upweight or suppress the FFS data. At the moment, the team scores really high in Rate My Team - but I agree with everyone's comments here. A mix of science and art is always the best outcome!

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

            As stated above though, this is pretty much the best team to have according to RMT.
            My team comes in 25 points lower after 6 weeks than this team but I know which one I prefer.

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

      Whay is the RMT score you get? Ings is projected too higg imo opinion as it prob does not factor in sharing points and maybe even minutes with Che Adams.

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

        360 for first 6 game weeks. I agree with you on Ings.

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

          Yep that is on par with the highest score posted so far, could try Willian aswell he has some good projections for the first 6 weeks atm

      2. RMT's Professor
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Chatting to Geoff, I suspect Ings' projected points will decrease on the next update when we look a bit more into how many minutes Che Adams is likely to get. Che Adams' gain will be Ings' loss. Kante is an interesting one- I think he's only an option because he's a cheap regular and there seems to be so much value in premium defenders so it looks like a couple of cheap enablers in midfield might be a good strategy.

    3. Brian Boitano
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Ings is like the space shuttle, good idea when it works but prone to shedding heatshielding at an inopportune moment.

    4. Snevitz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I've been looking at the predicted scores this evening as well, I've concluded that using them to pick a team would be a bad idea.

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

        You're probably right

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

        Well yes of course atm , should be better after all transfers and pre-season though but just a bit of fun to try get the highest score!

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

          As an example there was an article on here comparing Coleman to Digne which said that Coleman was expected to score more points but RMT says that Digne will. What's the point of FFS doing detailed articles and then ignoring it in their own projections?

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

            Think the article projected more points for Coleman than last season not more than Digne and he is cheaper so comparing ppm is much closer but will still have more points for Digne on RMT.

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

              You made me re-read the article conclusion.
              It strongly implies that Coleman is the better option even if they were the same price although doesn't flat out say it.

              1. Eze Really?
                • 9 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                But it is true

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

            That is quite the contradiction.

          3. Piggs Boson
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Just different opinions, that's football. That article was written by David, who backed up his opinion with statistical data, and the projections are based on a statistical model developed by a Mr. Chris Atkinson. It's up to you to form a view for yourself based on all the data and opinions you read.

    5. One Man
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Is this team for the whole season or only the first 6 games ? If you take ings and Kante out it looks a lot like my team.

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

    Opinions on my team?

    Pickford (Button)
    TAA, Van Dijk, Digne, (Cathcart, Smith)
    Salah, KDB, Siggy, Tielemens, Yarmalenko
    Vardy, King, (Greenwood)

    Yarmalenko is my risky one but happy enough with the rest.

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

      I like it though unsure on double Everton defence and double Leicester attack

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

        Thank you

    2. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Looks good, but do you prefer 2 Everton defence over 1 Man City?

      1. Thomas Jerome Newton
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        I must learn to refresh page before I comment!

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

        For the opening fixtures I do 🙂

    3. Brian Boitano
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Tielemans is unnecessary - what about Brooks.

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

        He averaged 4.8 PPG, why is he unnecessary?
        I'd be more tempted to get Brooks in for Yarmolenko (unless he has great pre season) by having Fabianski instead of Pickford.

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

          Yeah that's definitely an option. Week 1 would be a bit scary but after that should improve. Looking forward to the pre season matches to help me decide better.

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

        I actually had Brooks instead of Yarmalenko but wanted a better keeper than Ryan so sacrificed him.

  8. FC Bama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Apologies if asked and answered in another post but why is Willian so highly rated in RMT?

    Thx

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

      There are a lot of fantastic features on this site but RMT isn't one of them.

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

        I like the way mark said he uses RMT in his meet the manager video.

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

          Me too. I think it’s the accent.

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

            He uses it to identify future gameweeks when his team will score poorly.

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

              Oh, I thought you meant literally the way he says it

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

        YMMV. Personally,
        I find RMT to be a terrific modelling/test tool.

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

    Consistently unimpressed by the look of all strikers aside from King and whoever becomes nailed at Chelsea. Who are you going for up top and why?

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

      Currently have Vardy and King but Jota is tempting me. The conundrum of Vardy and KDB vs Sterling and Jota is a tough one for me

      1. Tired and weary
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Stuck on that one too, although with Deu rather than Jota since this Costa news

    2. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Hoping Costa joins for 10 or 10.5m

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

        There's not a hope I'd pay that for him at Wolves

        1. Thomas Jerome Newton
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          I seem to recall early days that Wolves were one of the sides getting a lot of shots in but not scoring. Not sure how that panned out by the end.
          Thinking maybe they have potential to be free scoring vs lower clubs.
          I'd love the price to match Vardy's but expecting higher. Is it nearly a done deal?

          1. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Their style is very counter attacking which is why they typically struggled against the smaller clubs but did well vs top 6. Not near a done deal but Diego Costa’s agent said he was interested by only one offer from England which was supposedly from wolves

      2. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        No chance he comes in higher than 8.5 at wolves

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Otherwise no one would get him

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

      Wilson and King due to Bournemouth scoring a lot of goals in easy fixture runs when their players are fit.
      Third spot is my only non playing sub.

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

      Thinking of taking a chance on Kane captain GW1 and like Vardy too but need to leave out Salah or Sterling for that one!

    5. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      King I am settled on and hasn’t left my team since the game was released. I am currently playing between Kane and Vardy to partner him with fodder on bench. If Abraham comes in at 6.5 I may go 343

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

        If Abraham was a nailed starter he'd be a great pick, little risky though.

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          I think lampard would start him ahead of Giroud. The fact abraham has decided to stay says a lot

      2. One Man
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Interesting. Perhaps I'm wasting the extra 1.5m for Wilson ? Will King outscore Deulofeu ?

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          King with pens, I should think so. To start with at least he has 2 dreamy fixtures

          1. One Man
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Good point. Penalties are a big bonus.

    6. Lovren an elevator
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      King, whoever's nailed at Chelsea and maybe a cheeky DCL punt

  10. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    RMT:

    Ederson
    TAA Robbo Walker Digne
    Salah Sterling Zaha Perez
    King Delo

    Button Dendonkey Kelly Nketiah

    1. Brian Boitano
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Good first 11, standard 2 pointer max bench, but you already know that!

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

      Good team. Couple of suggestions. Prefer Azpilicueta over Walker rather than double up on City defence and Chelsea fixtures great after week 1. Perhaps consider Robbo to VVD and use .5 m on Kelly to playing 4.5 that rotates with Dendoncker- perhaps Diop or Fredericks at West Ham.

      1. HollywoodXI
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Thanks for the feedback. I was all set on Azpi but then I looked at Chelsea’s fixtures and I can only see two CS in the first eight GW’s?

    3. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I have a similar front 6 Tielemsns In for Perez but beefier up front with Vardy so less heavy in defence

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

    Is 347.94 on rate my team decent score?

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Depends if the players are good. I got 360ish on one. Go 532 if you want to score high

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

        Thanks. 4-4-2 is my present formation

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

      Yep it is good for a team you actually want to start with!

  12. Warby84
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Think pope will surely be Burnley number 1, Hart linked with Norwich and Heaton with Villa.. So surely the best 4.5 keeper out there...

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Yeah hopefully they have a 4.0 emerge after they hart and Heaton go too then it’s the dream

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

        Or better yet - a 3.5

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          That should be De gea’s price

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

            Yeah hopefully we get Oblak

            1. Ask Yourself
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              You’re one of my favourite posters mate

    2. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Yep straight in if he's the main man

    3. Marmalade Forest
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Almost no chance Hart goes to Norwich.

      Signed another keeper last week already

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        He’ll go somewhere

  13. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Do teams really have so few chances from counter-attacks, or is it too complex for counter-attacking to be represented in a stat?
    https://members.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/public-stats-tables/view/32652/

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      What constitutes a statistical counter attacking goal?

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Exactly. I wonder if OPTA just exclude a lot of goals that don't fit their current definition. The numbers do seem low.

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah ridiculously so

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

      You need the definition of counter attack, I assume there must be a certain area of the pitch for the attacking opponent to lose possession, followed by a certain time limit for a chance/goal at the other end.
      The numbers do seem very low. Is there an advantage to having this information?

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Absolutely. You could match up players who score a large number of counter-attacking goals against teams who concede a large number. It could turn a red fixture into a green for some players.

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

          Fair enough, that is some fairly in depth analysis if you will be factoring it in to picking your team.
          Much more interesting than another post about Tielemans or Perez though 🙂

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

          Good point

          Palace are a case in point here - I'd have them as very strong on the counter. It's at least a partial explanation of their home away record.

          Some of those nasty looking away fixtures in the short term may be perfectly good

          1. Piggs Boson
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Palace are one of the best at counter-attacking. Zaha had the 3rd highest number of chances from counter-attacking last season, according to OPTA.

            If Palace lose Zaha they're relegated imo.

      2. Eze Really?
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Half way line

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

    Best option between

    A Jota or
    B Deulofeu

    1. HollywoodXI
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      B as Jota could be rotated due to Europa Cup

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

      Very easily A, imho

    3. Lingard’s Shin Guards
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Deu. Wait and see how the busier schedule effects Wolves

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

      B

  15. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    If you want to understand how Pellegrini thinks, and how he might set up West Ham, I recommend this video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JGqOTN301U

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He doesn’r Have the luxury of using 2 strikers anymore as our owners are tight af

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Listen to me instead x

        New striker (rondon/Balotelli)
        Anderson Lanzini/Noble Fornals Yarmolenko
        Rice
        Masuaku Diop Balbuena Fredericks
        Fab

        Antonio will be an impact sub as that is how he is most effective. We have some extremely talented creative midfielders from Lanzini and fornals with a good combination of explosiveness coming from Anderson and yarmolenko. These wingers will tuck in and act as a supporting striker when the attack is on their side of the play where the respective full back will push up high and look to run to the by-line and cross, or feed the winger to cut inside and shoot.

        1. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah, with the players he has available a 433 or 4231 seems almost a given. All of the attacking 4 players: ST, Anderson, Yarmolenko, Fornals/Lanzini could be good options. I can't wait to see them in action to find out which is best. I personally can't see both Lanzini and Fornals playing together, unless Fornals started wide.

          1. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            I would be surprised if pele didn’t try it. It would be a silly attack. Obviously could also play wilshere it noble next to fornals too in games where we need more balance

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He wants to instil a "big team mentality" to his players, wherever he goes. This means attacking, and attacking the same way, no matter the opponents.

      To me this means his teams will always concede lots of goals. I would only get attackers from a Pellegrini team.

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Yes I warn people about west ham defenders all the time but everyone namely gnu thinks i’m A troll for it handing out false info.

  16. Dangerous Rhubarb
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Currently my squad....thoughts?

    Ryan-Gunn
    Gibson-Coleman-Robertson-Laporte-TAA
    Zaha-Salah-Sterling-Pulisic-Tielemans
    King-Surridge-Janssen

    Gibson,Surridge,Janssen are bench fodder!
    Will play 4-5-1....is this a crazy strategy....I just dont see much value in attack as Def & Middield....?

    Pulisic maybe a step to far....but he is a quality player.

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

      Nice.
      4-5-1 is interesting this year.
      Pulisic is one to watch. Nice to have a differential. Hope it works out for you.

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

        Pulisic is a nice call but I'm looking for players with PL background for my punt - I'll have one almost for sure.
        Gross is high on my list and Yarmo would be but for fixtures.

        Personally a bit dubious about value of Laporte but if he goes well he'll be everywhere. But it's a great backline.

  17. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Are you considering any Chelsea players?

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

      Loftus Cheek when he is back.

    2. Werner Bremen
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Maybe Giroud or any other forward if he is cheap.
      And maybe RLC when he is fit

    3. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Abraham at sub 7m. Virg is right RLC will be a great pick. I have a couple of 6m’s as placeholders for when CHO comes back

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

      I'm considering a cheeky Alonso to everyone else's Digne. If he's nailed well...

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Emerson is first choice

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

          Not yet but probably. Luiz is where I'm likely headed if I go there

    5. nach248
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Azpilicueta, I'm surprised he is not getting much attention. Plays almost every single minute of every game and cheaper than Alonso and delivers consistently. My 4th premium defender.

      1. One Man
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Same mate. Coming in under the radar. My only concern is that Lampard's attacking game might leave the back line exposed. His record of Cleanies at Derby wasn't great.

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

          No cleanies because the RB was basically playin as a striker... So yeah... Azpi!

    6. FC Bama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      RMT algorithm seems to really like Willian though not sure why.

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Set pieces, talisman factor, PL experience, an Afro... the list goes on

  18. Werner Bremen
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    A Mane, Sterling and King
    B Salah, KDB and Wilson

    What do you say?

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

      B.

    2. Dangerous Rhubarb
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      B just

      1. Werner Bremen
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        My biggest concern is KDB. I see everybody thinks he is nailed?

  19. Pigeon
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Tell me this, if some of you here have either both Salah and Sterling or Kane and Sterling etc. Would that have any affect of the value of them in your team if you're only captaining them every other game?

    1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I have all three. I don't understand your question?

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        I don’t believe you prove it

        1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          GW1:

          Ryan
          van Dijk, Digne, Zinchenko
          Salah, Sterling, Sigurdsson, Norwood
          Kane, King, Origi

          Button; Stephens, El Mohamady, Kelly … 19/20, 0.0 ITB, TV: 100.0

          1. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Better than I thought it was going to be. Not fancy the attacking doncker over the unknown Stephens under the new manager?

            1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              Stephens is not unknown. 🙂

              1. Ask Yourself
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Yes yes I know but he has a new manager who would rather have more dynamic mids than Stephens such as bissouma. We will see but I think it silly to try and avoid dendoncker when he is such good value !

                1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 14 Years
                  4 years, 8 months ago

                  4.5 is all about the minutes on the pitch, mate. 😀

                  1. Ask Yourself
                    • 7 Years
                    4 years, 8 months ago

                    And donkey has that in the bag as we saw last season plus attacking runs into the box! Stephens is :/

                    1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 14 Years
                      4 years, 8 months ago

                      Oh, dear.

                      Stephens: 2484 mins, 1G, 1A, 4B
                      Dendoncker: 1465 mins, 2G, 0A, 1B

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

                        Good job both are In my team then

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

                        That's cos Donkey wasn't in the first team starting line up until the 2nd half of the season.

                      3. SADIO SANÉ
                        • 8 Years
                        4 years, 8 months ago

                        correct, didn't play in the 343 but did in the 352 (also the formation which allows some attacking threat from him) - if Donck doesn't outscore Stephens I'll be amazed

          2. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Tbh I think that’s very good

            1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              Thank you. 🙂

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

        I find it difficult to type it out haha, since you have all three would it not make them an expensive inconvenience if you're not captaining one of them every game, would rather improve my team elsewhere with the extra cash

        1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Carry on. I will stick with what I've got. 🙂

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Every other game boosts their output enough to make them good value imo. They are relatively poor value without captaincy, that's true, but not that poor. I'd say even once every 3 games is enough to make them worth it.

  20. Loftus cheeky nandos
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone else going for a back 5, I have robbo, vvd, Laporte, digne and ake. I don’t want to drop any but 5 at the back isn’t normally a good tactic.

    Thoughts on 5 at back?

    1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Not for me.

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

      Not for me either. Would prefer 5 mids over 5 defenders.

    3. Worsle90
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I’m going 5-3-2:

      Ryan
      TAA, VVD, Digne, Zinchenko, Shaw
      Sterling, Salah, KDB
      King, DCL

      Button, Noble, Dendoncker, Greenwood

      I have 0.5m in the bank for DLC-Deulofeu or Chenko to Mendy.

      V happy with the formation.

  21. More on Digne vs Coleman - who do you have?
    FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Digne (33 starts) Vs Coleman (29 starts).

    This will clearly prove why Digne is the vastly superior option of the two.

    Digne has double the FPL Goal Involvement.

    D: 20%
    C: 9%

    Coleman takes almost twice as long to have a goal attempt.

    D: 87.2 minutes per goal attempt
    C: 170.7 minutes per goal attempt

    Coleman has only had 9 shots in the box all season. Less than 1 every 3 games.

    Digne has had more than FOUR TIMES the number of successful crosses (loved by the BPS system):

    D: 83 successful crosses
    C: 17 successful crosses

    Digne has a much, much better assist potential:

    D: 42 minutes per chance created / 71 chances created / 13 big chances created

    C: 107 minutes per chance created / 24 chances created / 6 big chances created

    In summary, Digne absolutely blows Coleman out of the water.

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

      Yeah I'm happy to keep Digne.

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Great post 🙂

      If you look at their points last season, Coleman does seem to be slightly better value, but looking at the underlying data and the potential of the players, Digne wins hands down. If Everton sign a big strong centre forward, Digne is going to be a beast.

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

          DCL should benefit from Digne's crosses?

          1. Ask Yourself
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            He should he’s just a terrible finisher. So much so that by the end of the season his role was to win a header to flick it on to anyone but him to finish it

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

            Good for assists

        2. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Interesting. Maybe I've underestimated that guy. We'll have to see what they do in the market.

          1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Indeed.

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

        Thanks! Please ask the mods to hot topic.

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

        Thought the article here indicated the opposite in the second half of the season. That it was Coleman who was creating more big chances.

        I'm wary of selective statting but with Everton defence the first half of the season is a write off for me - I had Digne for a good part of it and regretted it. I'm prepared to take the evidence of the second half if I'm going to take either of them

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

          The sample size in the article on here was too restrictive. A full season's worth of data is more reliable when making conclusions.

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

            Luck and everything else evens itself out across an entire season - as they say!

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

              If so then Luiz is a better pick than Digne as he returned better over the season - everything evened out.

              1. The Bad Seed
                • 6 Years
                4 years, 8 months ago

                Rubbish.

                You want to look at the per minute stats over the season, not the overall stats over the season.

                and Digne has more points per minute over the whole season.

          2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            I’m not sure the full season of data really is more reliable to be honest - do players normally hit the ground running following such a horrific/catastrophic leg break?

            It can take years, if ever, to return from such an injury - assuming Coleman was at his full capability in the first half of the season is quite dangerous from an FPL perspective imo

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

        I have Digne right now over Coleman

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

          Very wise.

    3. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Take out 1st 14 games when Coleman still struggling with terrible injury

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

        That's a non factor.

        You could say Digne was struggling to adapt to the premier League in the first 14 games. Coleman wouldn't be able to physical start games if he wasn't fully fit.

        1. Geoff
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          I wouldn't say it's a non factor, but that it's likely a non factor. I don't think we can underestimate the return Coleman needed to make; equally, we can't discount that Digne needed to get up to speed. I just don't think we can safely equate them.

          All this said, it's Digne for me - even though Coleman did significantly improve.

        2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          To say it’s a non factor is potentially a bit myopic imo - more data does not necessarily equal more reliable conclusions - but More “good” data does = more reliable conclusions

          All players recover differently psychologically & physically from catastrophic injuries - but I’m not sure the first games back post traumatic leg break are really representative of a player’s “true” potential and therefore I’m not sure the 2018 data is as “good” as the more recent 2019 data

          Interestingly Digne actually scored pretty similarly in FPL points in the first/second halves of the season (74/84) but the Burley 17 pointer is hugely boosting his output in the first half so he too looks to have a huge improvement in consistency in the second half of the season as he ramped up into the PL

          It just wasn’t enough to outscore Coleman despite playing more games interestingly.

          Interesting articles & discussions on same:

          https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/real-seamus-coleman-returned-surprise-15894935

          https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/comment/20384669

          Can’t wait for the double-double up on Merseyside fullbacks

    4. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I thought I just saved 0.5m for a minute then ffs

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

        There's a lot of misinformation going around with Coleman.

        1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Totally agree there - see my comment above 😉

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

            +1

    5. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      any way to measure who they are crossing it to and the XG of those attempts?

      Digne is crossing to DCL and Bernard...
      Coleman is crossing to DCL and Richarlison, also cut backs to Siggy are easier on his right foot...?

    6. asquishypotato
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Imagine if we end up with a “Bertrand assisting Clyne moment”, this place would implode.

    7. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Can you run same analysis but for 2019 only?

      Or is there any acknowledgement of Coleman returning from the leg break in the first half of the season?

      He clearly stepped it up a year after he got into his stride and regained match fitness

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        *stepped it up a gear, not a year 🙂

      2. Nivaldo Santos
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Right

    8. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I've both in my first draft. Along with TAA and Robbo, going big on Merseyside full backs.

      I'm already having my doubts about Coleman though. Monitoring the City LB situation carefully.

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

      Coleman ATM

    10. jackjones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I don’t really understand the argument for only looking at the full season’s stats, given that Coleman in GW 1-18 was clearly a different player to 19-38, as is indicated in his stats.

      There doesn’t appear to be any evidence that Digne struggled to adapt at the beginning. His stats 1-18 were very similar to 19-38 (except he created more than double the big chances in 1-18).

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

      None right now.

      Gueye might not be ready for GW1 because of AFCON, and so far Zouma is still at Chelsea - and with the ban, I think he will remain at the Bridge.

      Might still go for Digne, but the above kills any double up thoughts imo

    12. MYNAMEISBigtopmark.sman
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      If anything this poorly presented hot topic makes me want to switch from digne to Coleman

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        I think the spirit of the post is definitely good - Digne & Coleman are unsurprisingly generating huge amounts of discussion, Digne in particular has looked like FPL royalty in the making for a while now

        But I do think it’s a mistake not to acknowledge Coleman’s superb uptick in 2019 - for me any FPL defender who comes close to, let alone exceeds, let alone exceeds form less games vs. digne’s 2019 FPL scores is someone worth sitting up & taking note of

        I also think some of the terminology is unnecessarily absolute (Digne is a “vastly superior” option to Coleman.... the full season data being “better” than 2019 data... coleman’s Injury being a “non-issue” etc. Etc.) and for me it just unbalances things and taints the credibility of the post a little as a result

        When Coleman is 0.5 cheaper into the bargain it just screams “double-up” to me - but if I could only have 1 it would still be Digne, as it was all through pre-season.

        But I can have two so I will 🙂

    13. Tiralik
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I have both in a 5-man backline.

    14. LosBlancos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Both.

  22. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Robbo or TAA

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

      I've TAA but I want both.

    2. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Robbo for time TAA for spark

    3. Lingard’s Shin Guards
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      TAA for me

    4. One Man
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      TAA

    5. FOMFF
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      both. TAA if I had to chose - set pieces.

  23. Wılly
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    A. Jimenez, Zinchenko, Kelly (3rd sub)
    B. Wilson, Ward, A. Smith

    Team:

    Ryan (Button)
    TAA Robertson Digne Zinchenko(Kelly)/Smith(Ward)
    KDB Salah Siggy (Dendoncker, Stephens)
    Vardy King Jimenez/Wilson

  24. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Suddenly tempted to go with double Liverpool attack rather than defence...

    1. Lingard’s Shin Guards
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      What changed your mind?

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        My minds not changed yet and more than likely won’t be... I’m just unsure...

    2. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      You’re a silly goose

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Probably

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Mate I started last season thinking I was genius with salah mane and firmino. Turns out the defenders outscore them regularly at a far lower price !

          1. One Man
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Agree. My conundrum is to go 3 pool at the back or just 2 and Salah.

  25. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Why has abraham not been added to the game yet please? They better not be waiting to see if he is first choice

  26. One Man
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    A..Laporte/Salah/Yarmolenko/King

    Or

    B..VVD/KDB/Siggy/Wilsom ??

  27. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Why do I have to log in separately into the members area? Annoying tbh and I keep getting logged out from there too which doesnt happen on the normal site.

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

      Probably my main bug bear with this site as a member for a few years.
      I can't see why main site login does not recognize you as a member and auto login on to members area too. Can't be that difficult to program it.

  28. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Interesting how the template on here seems to be shifting from 5 atb to ever increasing amounts of money in midfield and up top. Not seeing hardly any 5 big defender teams any more.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      People recognising it’s lack of flexibility when they realise they love jumping on bandwagons. That article on the most successful formation being 352 swayed a lot too. 532 is now back up for the FPL hipsters to take on tho

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Im still on 5-4-1 or 5-3-2.. I dont get the point about flexibility. If I want any player, even Kane or Aguero, its literally just 2 transfers away, and a mini wildcard 3 transfers for 1 hit can restructure the entire team.

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          But many of us get very excited about that first available transfer and want to spew it immediately despite months of preparation

          1. Brosstan
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            That seems to be the main issue. People see the stats on what the best value oriented team structure should look like (they dont have 3 or probably even 2 premiums because they are a waste of money when not captained) but cant control themselves once the premium they don't own hauls in a single gameweek.

            Seems to me people are just deviating from the optimal structure out of lack of self control instead of making a firm decision beforehand not to chase premiums.

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

      I was 541 but now 442
      It boils down to
      5.5 defender and second non playing striker at 4.5
      Or 4.0 defender with 6.0 forward
      Still not sure which is best.

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        352/442 seems best for me with players we currently have available

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

          Maybe. Also the temptation to jump is too much often the points are gone by the time you get on, and usually at the cost of defence downgrades. If going expensive defenders patience is key they are for the long haul.

      1. G-Whizz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        In your opinion...

        1. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Nah, I was only messing. Think I have a back 4 at the moment! 🙂

  29. LHTRED
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Please rate my first draft

    Pope

    Alexander-Arnold Aké Alonso

    Dendoncker Pérez Salah KDB Sigurdsson

    Rashford Kane

    Bench. Button Nketiah Kelly Stearman

    1. Krafty Werks
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      6 but if you go Alonso > Digne, Rashford > Vardy & Stearman > Gibson then it's an 8!!

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Might need a playing GK.

  30. Dr Mulholland
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Help me out? :

    A. Ederson + Perez
    or
    B. Ryan + Sigurdsson

    1. Phil's Stamps
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      B