Captain Sensible

Who is the best captain for FPL Gameweek 8?

Fantasy Premier League managers have been presented with another tricky captaincy debate for Gameweek 8.

Liverpool host a Leicester side looking very committed to breaking into the top four while rotation and injury fears plague our Manchester City assets.

We’ve assessed the key candidates for the armband this weekend using individual and team data.

As this uses information from the Fantasy Football Scout Members Area only those signed up for the 2019/20 season can access it in full.

Captain Poll

After ending his Premier League goal drought in Gameweek 7, Raheem Sterling (£12.1m) has returned to the summit of the latest captain poll.

The Manchester City midfielder comes into the weekend backed by 28% of those that have voted so far (as of Thursday lunch-time).

His owners will have been encouraged by two things they saw of Sterling midweek.

Firstly, he was rested for the majority of the win over Dinamo Zagreb, emerging only as a 56th-minute replacement for Bernardo Silva (£7.9m).

Secondly, Sterling was involved in both goals after he arrived on the pitch, reminding his owners what he is capable of.

Playing in a much more central location than we have seen in recent Premier League outings, the England international scored the opening goal and provided the assist for Phil Foden‘s (£5.2m) stoppage-time strike.

Meanwhile, Wolves come to the Etihad Stadium with just one clean sheet in their last six and a goals conceded tally that reads 11 in that time – an average of 1.8 per game.

We thought that Sterling might have to fight off some interest in Kevin de Bruyne (£10.0m) for the Gameweek 8 captaincy but his recent groin problem has drastically affected the poll results.

Before the injury was confirmed, the Belgian ranked third with a 15% share of the vote but in the last few days, he has dropped to eighth and the backing of just 3.2%.

Currently second in the poll is Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) who is still yet to blank this season.

He has scored in all but one Premier League match in 2019/20, and in all three at the Emirates Stadium so far.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth come to north London with no clean sheets on the road yet this season – which is why 20% of those who have voted in the poll fancy more attacking returns from Aubameyang on Sunday afternoon.

Sergio Aguero (£12.1m) has a fairly strong hold on third place in the poll, garnering the support of 12%.

His benching for the trip to Everton is probably enough to put some Fantasy managers off the Argentinian, especially given he registered 88 minutes against Zagreb.

However, if he does start, which he often does at the Etihad Stadium, Aguero is also without a blank this season. In three home matches, he has a total of four goals and two assists.

Teemu Pukki (£7.2m) may be without an attacking return on the road since Gameweek 1 but the Norwich forward has scored five of six Premier League goals at home.

Aston Villa come to Carrow Road this weekend having conceded seven times in their last three away matches in the top flight.

That combination of statistics will be why Pukki is the best of the rest in the top this week, pulling in 7.2% of the vote in the captaincy poll.

In fact, the Finnish striker has more support than Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) for the Gameweek 8 armband.

The Egyptian does arguably have a trickier fixture as Leicester come to Anfield in good form and praised for recent defensive displays.

However, Salah has been in exceptional form at home this season. In his first three Premier League matches at Anfield he has registered four goals and one assist, for an average of 12 points per game.

Should that form continue, the 6.7% of managers who captained him for Gameweek 8 will feel very happy indeed, especially with many looking elsewhere both for the armband and for transfers.

Son Heung-min (£9.7m) now has attacking returns in each of his last three league outings, and was one of the few players to score for Spurs in their absolute humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich midweek.

That has led to 4.7% of our voters backing him for the captaincy in Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off at Brighton.

Harry Kane (£11.0m) also found the net in that 7-2 defeat and has scored or assisted in each of his last four Premier League matches – hence the 3.2% interest.

Tammy Abraham (£7.6m) may have blanked in each of his last two at Stamford Bridge but he travels to Southampton on Sunday afternoon with six goals in each of his last three away matches in all competitions.

Therefore, 2.9% fancy him as an outside bet for the captaincy in Gameweek 8.

Sadio Mané (£11.6m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.5m) are the only other options with more than 1% backing.

Player statistics – Last four matches

Lessons Learned from Gameweek 7

1,395 Comments Post a Comment
  1. raoulduke71
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    James > ?? Mount/Ceballos/Saka 6.8m (budget) FT

    Pope
    Trent Otamendi Lund
    Salah Sterling KDB James
    Haller Pukki Tammy

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

    Start 2:

    A) Tomori
    B) Zinchenko
    C) Lundstram
    D) Diop

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      BC

    2. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      AB

    3. The Road to Turfdom
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B, A

    4. antis0cial
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      AB, C first Sub

    5. el polako
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      People who suggest Tomori is a better pick than Lundstram dont watch Sheffield games.

  3. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    How many Aguero Owners/Captainers nervous with the picture of Jesus & Sterling in this article?

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Owning City assets comes with a risk, we all know it - no point getting stressed about it.

      It is what it is.

    2. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Agüero -> Auba

    3. Last Raulist Alive
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      One here. I've been thinking all week about captaining Agüero or go for Pukki and reached no conclusion.

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

    AWB, KDB > TAA, Mahrez

    .1 short. Why am I always .1 short?

    1. PocketZola
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      get robbo

      1. Team Cruel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Poundland TAA

  5. Rains of Castamere
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Mane to Sterling (c) for free?

    Next 4 GWs:

    Mane - LEI mun TOT avl
    Sterling - WOL cpl AVL SOU

  6. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    The last time everton visited turf moor guess what?

    Lucas Digne scored a brace.

    I know its last season but this has kindda put me off for planned Tomori move

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Tomori CS and Assist incoming !

  7. antis0cial
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    1FT 1.6itb, WC intact. Planning Haller to Vardy after IB depending on how Haller does this weekend. Save FT?

    Pope
    TAA Tomori Soyuncu
    Sterling Salah Mount KDB*
    Tammy Haller Pukki

    Cantwell* Rico Gibson

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

    I have 2FT and no idea what to do please help

    Pope
    Ota Digne Lundstrum
    Mane Son Mount Cantwell
    Auba Kun Tammy

    Bench: Rico Soyo Hayden

    Maybe Kun to Sterling ?

  9. tibollom
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Sorry for repost - Hi guys, what to do Captain wise? Also with KDB most likely not to play, is my bench order oK?

    Heaton
    Lunds VVD TAA Ota
    Sterling Salah KDB* McGin
    Haller Tammy

    Button. Greenwood, Dedoncker, Rico

  10. How I met your Mata
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    KBD to Son would only lose 0.1 on him?

    1. niaz1982
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      I'm doing this

    2. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Its the points likely lost getting kdb out then back thats the issue. Unless you have FTs and no other issues.

  11. Queens of the South Age
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Really worried about not having Sterling this week as sure he'll be a big captain option. Is it worth a hit to get him for KDB? Alonso > Tomori will fund it.

    Alternative is to just play Cantwell and hope Aguero captain does the business.

  12. Bartram
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    I am WC, any suggestion? Plan for next GW Pukki to Vardy.

    Schmaichel, Roberto
    TAA, Otamendi, Pieters, Lundstram, Syoncu
    Sterling, Mount, Yrnolenko, McGinn, Hodson Odoi
    Auba, Abraham, pukki.

    Thanks!

  13. timawflowers
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who to bring in out of the following
    A - Yarmolenko
    B - mount
    C - mcguinn

    Thanks

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

      B

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

    Have 2 FT

    Sterling, Mane, Mount Cantwell, KDB
    Kane, Pukki

    A KDB & Kane > Auba & Son
    B KDB & Pukki > Yarmo & Auba
    C TAA, KDB, Pukki > Otamendi, Maddison & Aubameyang -4

  15. Boozernator
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Pope
    Robbo Zinch Rico Lundstram
    Mount Salah Son KDB
    King Aguero

    Button Dendoncker Aurier Greenwood

    0.1 itb and 1 FT

    Thinking of getting saka in for dendo and capping Salah. Convince me im wrong please

    1. Boozernator
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      or swap auba for kun and cap him. help please

  16. niaz1982
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Worth a wildcard?

    Pope
    TAA Cresswell [replacing aurier], Lund, Tomori [replacing otamendi for funds]
    Son [replacing Salah], Sterling, Yarmolenko [replacing De Bruyne], Mount
    Aubameyang [replacing Greenwood], Abraham & Pukki

    Not sure if getting rid of de Bruyne is a bad idea but affects replacments.

    Any suggestions welcome need to catch up some points so looking for diff.

    1. HaffNanner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Def not WC. I'm in the same boat but have scaled it down to shifting KDB and getting in Auba for a hit or two. Use wildcard to get KDB back in later.

  17. raoulduke71
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    FT James >

    a) Mount
    b) Hudson-Odi
    c) Ceballos
    d) Saka

    Already have Tammy

  18. Sparky6670
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who to captain guys -

    Kane
    Mane
    Pukki

    Assuming Kev is having a rest this weekend!

    1. HaffNanner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Tough. Mane probably?

      1. Sparky6670
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        That's what I'm currently on!

  19. HaffNanner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Please help.

    A. KDB, Barnes > Cantwell, Aubameyang (-4)

    B. KDB, Barnes, Digne > McGinn, Aubameyang, Otamendi (-8)

    C. Roll transfer. Bench KDB for (hopefully) one week. Play Rico and squirm as Aubameyang terrorises him on Sunday.

  20. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Cantwell hamstring problems. FFS.

  21. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Auba > Wood (TC)?

  22. TeddiPonza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    KdB to Son worth -4? Would bring KdB back at the same price before gw 10. My bench is Hannley Dendo and Greenwood

  23. Sharkytect
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    So it's confirmed.
    I'm thinking of doing KDB > Yarmolenko for free. For the bants (and security of start vs Son).

    Would leave me with:

    Pope,
    TAA, Otamendi, Tomori,
    Yarmolenko, Salah, Sterling (c), Mount,
    Abraham, Pukki, Barnes

    (McGovern, Cantwell, Kelly, Montoya).

    He IS only out for one weel, though. Could use those two free transfers for something more sensible...will probably make this decision when drunk, later

    1. My neck my back my Saed Kol…
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Drunk transfers, my man. They’re always the best

  24. My neck my back my Saed Kol…
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Was planning to wildcard over the break and move sterling out for KDB as part of that and get on some of the fixture swings. Still sensible? Team below-

    Pope Button

    Robertson Otamendi Coleman Montoya Lundstram

    Sterling Salah Ceballos Cantwell Dendoncker

    Aubameyang Abraham Pukki

  25. M.I.A.
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Guys who to play out of:

    A) Soyuncu
    B) Lundstram

    1. Sparky6670
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Lundstrum surely

  26. makaveli70
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    play Pereira or Lundstram

  27. Daxus
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Son or Aguero as captain??