Liverpool and West Ham began their pre-season campaign on Thursday with mixed implications for Fantasy Premier League managers.
Obviously, we are still at the early stage of summer friendlies so a lot of our observations should be taken with a pinch of salt, to some extent.
However, both of Thursday’s matches threw up talking points that we have to make sure we stay on top of.
Tranmere Rovers 0-6 Liverpool
Goals: Nathaniel Clyne, Rhian Brewster x2, Curtis Jones, Divock Origi (£5.5m), Bobby Duncan
Assists: Brewster, Harry Wilson, James Milner (£5.5m), Ben Woodburn, Paul Glatzel
Jurgen Klopp mostly used the kids as his side began their pre-season campaign with a 6-0 win at Tranmere, a match that featured two Liverpool teams getting 45 minutes each.
However, there were still eight senior players with FPL prices who were involved for the Reds.
Divock Origi (£5.5m) has already been discussed as a potential budget differential for the start of the season as Sadio Mané‘s (£11.5m) involvement at the African Cup of Nations goes on.
The Belgian forward was used as the centre-forward in a front-three for the second 45 minutes and came away with a goal to his name.
He was also credited with his ability to hold the ball up for his wider colleagues.
“Sadio Mané is in the semi-finals [of the AFCON], so that means he has two more games for sure and will come [back] late.” – Jurgen Klopp
With Mané’s Senegal team now the favourites to win the African Cup of Nations, there is definitely a chance that Origi may have to come into the team for him either in the Community Shield or in Gameweek 1.
Furthermore, Roberto Firmino (£9.5m) is also expected back late after his Copa America involvement, as is Mohamed Salah (£12.5m), although their international duty is already over.
“The Brazilians have finally finished their 30-month season, exactly like Mo, and they will come but we will not have a pre-season together, we will only have a week before we start with the games. Tonight it looked like we can find some solutions” – Jurgen Klopp
Either way, Origi will be using pre-season to stake a claim for a place in the Liverpool starting XI so we should continue to keep an eye on him.
Against Tranmere, Joe Gomez (£5.5m) and Joel Matip (£5.5m) both played but not together. One was used in each half, the England international in the first and Cameroon defender Matip in the second.
Both centre-backs have the potential to offer a budget route into the Liverpool defence alongside Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) this season but at this early stage, it is still unclear which it will be.
Dejan Lovren (£5.5m) did not get any minutes although there is plenty of the pre-season campaign left to play.
Fabinho (£5.5m), Adam Lallana (£6.0m), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£6.5m) and James Milner (£5.5m) were also treated to 45 minutes against Tranmere, the latter claiming an assist.
These players are all likely to be gunning for a place in the starting XI for Gameweek 1, with a particular interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain as he makes his return from injury.
Several options in the central midfield position may struggle to be fit for the start of the new campaign.
Naby Keita‘s (£6.0m) Guinea were knocked out in the second round but the central midfielder also aggravated an adductor injury whilst in Egypt.
Meanwhile, Xherdan Shaqiri (£6.5m) is out for “a while” according to Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool first-half XI (4-3-3): Mignolet; Larouci, Gomez, Phillips, Clyne; Milner, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Kent, Brewster, Wilson.
Liverpool second-half XI (4-3-3): Jaros; A Lewis, Matip, Johnston, Hoever; Fabinho, C Jones, Woodburn; Glatzel (Atherton 78′), Origi, Duncan
SCR Altach 2-3 West Ham United
Goals: Carlos Sánchez (£4.5m), Michail Antonio (£7.0m), Issa Diop (£4.5m)
Assists: Robert Snodgrass (£5.5m), Mark Noble (£5.0m), Jack Wilshere (£5.0m)
There is keen interest in who will occupy the number one centre-forward slot at West Ham this season in the wake of Marko Arnautovic’s departure.
Michail Antonio (£7.0m) drew first blood in the race to replace the Austrian as the Hammers began their pre-season campaign in Arnautovic’s homeland.
The FPL midfielder was deployed up front in a 4-2-3-1 formation against SCR Altach and also found the back of the net too.
After Carlos Sánchez (£4.5m) had headed home a Robert Snodgrass (£5.5m) corner, Antonio made it 2-0 with a smart run to fool the Altach defence.
Mark Noble (£5.0m) played a long ball from deep to the pacey attacker, who beat the offside trap, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home.
Obviously, it is early days in West Ham’s pre-season campaign so we certainly don’t want to encourage interest in Antonio based off one outing.
But is worth making ourselves aware that Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández (£6.0m) may have to hold off competition from him to claim the centre-forward role from him this summer.
Manuel Pellegrini largely went for the approach of two teams per half, making eight changes at half-time.
Just three players were treated to more than an hour of football in Austria.
One of those was new goalkeeper Roberto (£4.5m) who played 76 minutes before being replaced by fellow new recruit David Martin.
Lukasz Fabianski (£5.0m) was one of six players priced up by FPL to have no involvement in the game.
New signing Pablo Fornals (£6.5m) was one of them, while Fabian Balbuena‘s (£4.5m) involvement with Paraguay at the Copa America has delayed his return to the West Ham camp and Arthur Masuaku (£4.5m) is on leave following DR Congo’s elimination from the African Cup of Nations in the second round.
Aaron Cresswell (£5.0m) was left out of the matchday squad for precautionary reasons, while Xande Silva (£4.5m) also played no part.
“It was a good workout. We worked well physically but we conceded two goals, which was too much, but we won, which is the most important thing.” – Issa Diop
“I’m happy to score but obviously it was just a friendly game, so to get a goal is not very important, but we always want to win every game, so of course I am happy about this goal.” – Issa Diop
West Ham XI (4-2-3-1): Roberto (Martin 76′); Fredericks (Zabaleta 45′), Diop (Rice 68′), Ogbonna (Reid 45′), Johnson (Byram 68′); Sanchez (Obiang 45′), Noble (Cullen 45′); Snodgrass (Yarmolenko 45′), Lanzini (Wilshere 45′), Felipe Anderson (Diangana 45′); Antonio (Chicharito 46).
4 years, 9 months ago
Even at this point, I'm very happy with my team aside from one area - having someone like Kane and a 5m defender (Ake or otherwise), or Vardy and Laporte.
I know most here are going with Vardy, due to his strong finish to last season and Leicester's strength in midfield (especially following the glamour around the Tielemans and Perez signings). Still, I can't help but feel Kane is being overlooked despite Son being away, and the two home fixtures against AVL and NEW in the first 3 GWs are shouting goals and captaincy potential. I prefer the balance of my team with Vardy, but now Kane has had an actual summer break unlike last season, is he ready for an explosive start to the 2019/20 campaign?
Can anyone help persuade me one way or the other?