Captain Sensible

Who is the best FPL captain for Gameweek 1?

Fantasy Premier League managers are considering captains from three different clubs ahead of the Gameweek 1 deadline.

Liverpool host Norwich on Friday night, Manchester City travel to West Ham on Saturday lunch-time and Spurs conclude that day’s action by hosting Aston Villa.

For the first Gameweek of the new season, the majority of the captain attention is on these three games.

We’ve analysed as much data as we can to assess the individual potential of the key players, as well as the quality of defences they are going up against.

As this uses data from the Fantasy Football Scout Members Area, only those who have signed up for the 2019/20 season can access the full article.

However, non-members can still enjoy our analysis of the results of our captain poll.

It is also worth clarifying for those used to Captain Sensible articles from recent seasons that we can only start to look at the last four (or so) Gameweeks once we have more data in the bank for 2019/20.

Captain Poll

The results of the captain poll as of Thursday night

The poll for Gameweek 1 is perhaps one of the most one-sided we’ve seen in quite some time.

Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) has absolutely run away with it, securing 62.8% of the vote at the time of writing.

That is not surprising at all considering the Egyptian has been the top-scoring FPL asset in both of his seasons at Liverpool.

He was especially deadly at Anfield last season too, scoring 13 of his 22 goals at home (59.1%).

Meanwhile, Norwich arrive in the Premier League with concerns over their defence.

They conceded 57 goals in 46 matches last season and recorded clean sheets in just 28% of those.

Furthermore, the Canaries’ defence has suffered injury problems during pre-season, Christoph Zimmerman (£4.5m), Timm Klose (£4.5m) and Grant Hanley (£4.0m) all missing various summer friendlies with knocks.

In his Thursday press conference, Daniel Farke revealed that only the latter of those three would be fit for Gameweek 1.

Kane is the most popular differential option this week

Way off in second place in the poll is Harry Kane (£11.0m) who starts the new season at home to newly-promoted Aston Villa.

They shipped a total of 61 goals during their promotion-winning campaign and recorded just 12 clean sheets, the tenth-best in the Championship.

That record has obviously handed optimism to those looking at Kane as a differential this weekend.

The Spurs forward has never scored in Gameweek 1 of a Premier League season though.

Sterling faces a trip to West Ham on Saturday lunch time

Raheem Sterling (£12.0m) sits even further down the ranking with the backing of just 6.4% in our poll at the time of writing.

He faces a West Ham defence that did not inspire confidence in 2018/19 and upon his last visit to the London Stadium, he came away with a goal and an assist.

Manchester City generally have a good record at West Ham too, scoring at least four times in each of their last four visits to the Hammers.

For that reason, if he starts, Sergio Aguero (£12.0m) could reward the 1.9% of managers who are handing him the captain’s armband for Gameweek 1.

However, it must be said that his late return to pre-season from the Copa America, and his lack of minutes in the Community Shield final could suggest he could take up only a substitute’s role.

It says a lot about Aguero’s Fantasy stock right now that both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) won more support in the Captain Poll than him.

The Arsenal forward sits in fourth place in the poll with an admittedly small following of just 2.7%.

Arsenal are preparing for a trip to Newcastle, whose pre-season has been less than smooth sailing after Rafa Benitez left the club over the summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold currently has 2.3% support in the poll, his backers putting faith in his 14 attacking returns and Liverpool’s 21 clean sheets last season.

Sadio Mané (£11.5m), Callum Wilson (£8.0m), Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) and Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) are the only other options backed by more than 1%.

MORE TEAM-BY-TEAM ANALYSIS CONTENT

Arsenal | Aston Villa (manager) | Aston Villa (defence) | Aston Villa (attack) | Bournemouth | Brighton | Burnley | Chelsea | Crystal Palace | Everton | Leicester | Liverpool | Man City | Man United | Newcastle | Norwich (manager) | Norwich (defence) | Norwich (attack) | Sheffield United (manager) | Sheffield United (defence) | Sheffield United (attack) | Southampton | Spurs | Watford | West Ham | Wolves

3,539 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Tabbara
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Which option is better:
    A: Siggy Wilson and TAA
    B: Vardy Fraser and VVD

    Thx

    1. Steve Stiffler
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      a

    2. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A but I'm unsure on Siggy atm. Everton haven't been scoring pre-season. Tempted to double up on Fraser/Wilson for GW1 and hold .5 ITB

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

      A, have all 3

  2. jamlove
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Can someone help me find the 'rate my team' for members, I'm either thick or the website is broken, the first one is more likely.

    1. Joey Barton and Friends
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      ON the left side of the page when you log in. Where all the other links are

      1. Too Many Hits
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        I can't get it to actually rate my team either

        1. Better off with a pin and a…
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          You need to use the build my team option and enter your players by hand. After gw1 it will be able to pick up your team (as it was from the last gameweek) automatically

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

      Click on 'Build Team'.

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

    Like the keeper rotation with Pope/Heaton, but with 0.5 Rico could be 4.5 defender. What to do?

    1. teddypicker
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Use the extra 0.5 and upgrade Rico

    2. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      You could start the season with Rico as he looks like he'll get a couple of games, then do the swap if his gametime reduces.

    3. Visionaries
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      My same predicament. Think I'm going to keep the gk rotation. After the 1st gw Pope has 3 horrible fixtures

      1. Too Many Hits
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Why is everyone sleeping on Ryan?

  4. Henning
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Stupid to go without City players for the first 2-3 gws?

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

      I have Sterling but would like more but finding it hard to work out who.

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

      yes

    3. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      The best team in the league who score record numbers of goals
      And keep record numbers of clean sheets....

      ....avoid

    4. Henning
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ok but dont like the looks of the teams when i try to have Salah Sterling and Kane/Aubameyang in.

      Maby get B.silva instead for Sterling?

  5. Visionaries
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Any Chelsea fans here, is Zouma now nailed?

    1. Ady87
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I hope so.

    2. Miniboss
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Don't know who else would take his place with Rudiger injured and Luiz gone.

    3. Gommy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      For now, Yes. Will compete with Christensen for starts when Rudi is back.

  6. gauzah
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Think this is it.

    Ederson, (Button)
    Robertson, VVD, Digne, Walker-Peters, (Lundstram)
    Salah, Sterling, Fraser, Barkley, (Guendouzi)
    Wilson, Jota, (Wickham)

    GTG???????
    Thought about downgrading Ederson/Button to Pope/Heaton but I don't *LOVE* the team I can make with the extra 1.0m.

    1. Gentle_Turks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Lundstram apparently not nailed. Change to Rico?

    2. Gentle_Turks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I’d downgrade Ederson. That extra cash will help a lot.

      1. Gentle_Turks
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        *even if you don’t spend it in gw1

  7. Gentle_Turks
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Trossard or Barkley as 4th mid?

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

      Barkley

      1. Gentle_Turks
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Thanks

    2. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'd play safe with Barkley, monitor Trossard.

      1. Gentle_Turks
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Thanks. But how ‘safe’ is Barkley with Mount lurking?

    3. Rust Cohle
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Trossard for the first three at least. Use those fixtures to figure out what’s going on with Chelsea’s starting XI.

      1. Gentle_Turks
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Sensible.

      2. Lebowski85
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        This

  8. Rust Cohle
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A. Wilson & Trossard
    B. Jota & Fraser

    Playing 1 up top if that influences your decision.

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

      B

    2. steven8991
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

  9. Bobby_Baggio
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Think I'm happy. Thoughts on the below? Thanks.

    Pope
    VVD | Robertson | Zinch | Zouma
    Salah | Sterling | Barkley | Perez
    Wilson | Kane
    --------------------------------
    McGovern | Dendonker | Greenwood | 4m

    1. teddypicker
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Standard team with the big 3

      1. Bobby_Baggio
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Good though right?

        1. teddypicker
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Yep solid

    2. tibollom
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      very similar to mine, ive gone Auba + King up front with AWB instead of Zinch

    3. champ20ns
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sure you are aware this is well over budget...

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

      Thats 101,5£. You have King not Wilson?

  10. Netters2018
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Blades fans is Norwood nailed?

  11. Crazygopher
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Best for 2 gws
    A Locadia
    B Mc goldrick

    1. Your Mum Zohore
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Tricky, see those two being rotated or having reduced mins

  12. steven8991
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    GTG?

    Ederson (Button)
    Robbo VVD Digne (Rico, Lund)
    Salah Sterling Perez Trossard (Dendoncker)
    Wilson King Jota

    GW2: Wilson>Haller

    1. Your Mum Zohore
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Wilson King overkill IMO
      Haller good shout maybe GW2 onwards?

      1. steven8991
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        I know, thats why I have planned to swap Wilson to Haller in GW2.

        As WHU will face MCI
        and BOU face SHU at home is too good to resist

        1. Your Mum Zohore
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Yeah you're probably right, could be magic, go for it!

  13. lumzy
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Think you have what it takes to top a fpl mini league then join mine for a chance to share a #fpl prize pot of £100!

    League code: rhgh89

    T&C Kindly follow us on twitter @fpl_rocks and RT

  14. Your Mum Zohore
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Kinda settled on this:

    Heaton

    Robbo TAA Zinch Digne

    Sterling Salah Moura Perez

    Jota Wilson

    No promoted players
    No new players

    Yay or Nay?

    TIA

    1. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Who is on your bench

      1. Your Mum Zohore
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Button Greenwood Hayden Rico

        1. Van der Faart
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Seems ok. Forwards are a little shy May be unless you plan on 4/4/2 or 3/5/2 for a good while

          1. Your Mum Zohore
            • 10 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            Had a front line of Auba Jota & King in my last draft, no TAA and Moura was McGinn was happy with that, but if Laca is not fit I'm not 100% confident with Auba, really not sure now

  15. Van der Faart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Won't get much time later before the deadline. Safe with this here?

    Pope (Heaton)

    TAA VVD Digne (Lund Aarons)

    Moura Salah(C) Bilva Perez (Dendo)

    Jota Kane King

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hate BSilva as a pick - rest is template (and good)

      1. Van der Faart
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Why not Bilva?

        1. TheDragon
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          He is just a very poor mans KDB - I much prefer Fraser at the price point.

          Many in here disagree with me though so it’s your own decision

          1. Van der Faart
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            He served me well last season and I want a City midfielder. He's the only one I can afford without disrupting the rest of the team

            1. TheDragon
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 7 months ago

              That’s why you should have sterling over Kane (particularly given you have moura and will captain salah GW1)

  16. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Help me out folks,

    1) Shaw or Zincheko? Other defenders are TAA/Digne/Rico/Montoya

    2A) Pope/Button + VVD + Perez + Wickham (bench fodder)
    2B) Pope/Heaton + VVD + Ings + Hayden (bench fodder)
    2C) Pope/Heaton + Perez + Ings + Montoya (bench fodder)

  17. 8-2
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    GTG?

    Pope (Button)

    VVD Laporte Montoya (Lundstram Rico)

    Salah Sterling Martial McGinn (Dend)

    Kane Jota King

  18. adstomko
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So many teams with Salah and Sterling. For flexibility, I'm only choosing one

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      For points most are choosing both

  19. Clarity
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) VVD + Siggy
    B) Trent + Fraser

  20. bitars
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Only two questions left ahead.

    A. Ryan & Button with Vertongen
    or
    B. Ryan & Heaton (rotation) with Zouma

    1. B.Silva & 7.0 Striker(who?)
    or
    2. Vardy & 6.0 Midfielder(who?)

    Already have Wilson and Perez.

    1. Visionaries
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B
      1 King/Wood/Jota

  21. Kuyt Hero
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wilson, Siggy and Perez

    or

    Vardy, Fraser and Trossard?

    1. Evil Genius
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      VFT

    2. bitars
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      1 But with Bernardo Silva

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

      A

    4. ChuckN
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

    5. Kuyt Hero
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Thanks all

  22. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    When is Burnleys presser?

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

      Sorry I think it was yesterday

      1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Any clarity in whether Taylor starts?

  23. Redranger
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Ederson and 4.5 def or
    Pope and Digne/Zinchenko

    1. The Man Pastore
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      PD

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

        That’s rude in French

  24. Niadu
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Just one question, will Deulofeu start?

    Thanks!

    1. Your Mum Zohore
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Seems to be fit, more likely he will

  25. Football Heaven
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    If greenwood isn’t going to be first on bench surely he’s not worth picking as he’ll decrease in price?

  26. Meme2011
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    does Luiz signing for Arsenal increase Leno value?

    1. Foogle
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Might get more penalty saves by the sheer amount of mistakes Luiz and Mustafi will make...

    2. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Luiz makes defence worse. Did you not see Germany vs Brazil?

  27. ChuckN
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Best Goalkeeper option for a H2H league?

    A) Fabianksi + 4.0
    B) Ederson + 4.0
    B) Pope + 4.0
    C) Pope + Heaton

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B or D for me.

    2. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Heaton or Heaton/Pope

  28. HAMMERTIME107
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Think I'm set, rubbish bench but strong starting 11? Please RMT...

    Ryan
    Coleman | Zinchenko | Robertson
    Perez | Salah | Wilshere | Sterling | Barkley
    Aubameyang | Wilson

    Button | Rico | Kelly | Greenwood

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Looks nice, is Wilshere back?

      1. HAMMERTIME107
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        yes mate and playing well not sure how long for with his injuries haha?

  29. moz_1983
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    First proper RMT for me - thoughts?

    Heaton - Button
    VVD - Robbo - Digne - AWB - Lund
    Salah - Sterling - Perez - Camarasa - Donk (rotating 4th mid)
    Kane - King - Green

    Downgrade a defender to upgrade either Camarasa / King?

    GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

  30. Visionaries
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    RMT please, feel Firmino is great value

    Pope, (Heaton)
    AWB, Robbo, Zouma, (Rico, Lund)
    Salah, Sterling, Fraser, Martial, Mcginn
    King, Firmino, (Greenwood)

    1. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Rico Lund not nailed you know right?

      1. Visionaries
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Yeah, its either downgrade a gk to get a playing CB, or downgrade a mid?