Pro Pundits

Why it’s the last-chance saloon for Sergio Aguero in my FPL team

In our latest Pro Pundits article, Ash – aka ‘Chief’ – is readying himself for a Sergio Aguero swansong as Jamie Vardy’s form and fixtures become too good to ignore.


Before last week’s deadline, I wanted to get attacking Leicester coverage in no small part due to their tremendous form under Brendan Rodgers as well as their good run of upcoming games.

Jamie Vardy (£9.3m) and James Maddison (£7.3m) were at the top of my watchlist but, instead of buying them, I decided to bank my free transfer and hoped that the Foxes could somehow have a quiet Friday night game. That thinking didn’t go to plan as ten-man Southampton capitulated and shipped nine goals. Kasper Schmeichel’s (£5.1m) clean sheet was damage limitation at best for my FPL team.

Thankfully, Raheem Sterling (£12.1m) did the business as captain the day after and, for the first time this season, I captained the highest-scoring player in my team for a given Gameweek! It was also my first back-to-back green arrow for this campaign.

It could have gone horribly wrong had I trusted Sergio Aguero (£12.1m) with armband duties, with the Argentina international failing to start for a second week in a row and only making a cameo appearance. In the end, despite my initial trepidation, I somehow scored 64 points, which was well above the average and translated into a 300k overall rise.

It’s fair to say that any FPL manager will be in panic mode if their squad contains a £12m+ striker that has failed to score since Gameweek 6 and who has not started in two consecutive Gameweeks during that time. After his damp squib cameo, I was extremely tempted to sell Aguero late on Saturday night in anticipation of his price drop and Vardy’s price rise.

However, I wrote off the -£0.2m swing and opted to hold in case unexpected injuries cropped up on the Sunday games. In addition, I was also keen to see what Pep Guardiola would do with his rotation policy for the EFL Cup on Tuesday night. To my annoyance, he started both Aguero and Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m). Aguero’s brace served as a futile reminder of what could have been against Aston Villa.

In a strange way, it’s a good thing that he scored as Manchester City are due to play the Saints again over the weekend. Also, Jesus has started three games in a row over a short period of time. Surely he’s due a rest? With this in mind, I’m reluctantly willing to hold onto Aguero for one more Gameweek.

At the same time, with my two free transfers (and a -4), I’m trying to see if I can still shoehorn Vardy into the team. If I did, it will involve selling Mason Greenwood (£4.3m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m) and Andriy Yarmolenko (£6.0m). But I’m not keen on doing that due to the imbalance it would create. Maybe I will have to persevere without Vardy for one more weekend? After this weekend he faces Arsenal and he loves scoring a goal against them (eight in eight). One thing is for certain, it really is last-chance saloon time for Aguero.

In my estimation, if there’s one thing that we learned from Tuesday night it was that Sterling will almost certainly start on Saturday after his absence from the EFL Cup squad (provided he remains injury-free). Sterling is the stand-out captain pick, not just for Manchester City in Gameweek 11, but among all teams.

With the exception of Gameweek 8, he has registered a Fantasy return in every home game that he has started in the Premier League this season. You can’t go wrong captaining one of the marquee players of the reigning champions, a team that on average score more than three goals per game at the Etihad. It’s as good as it gets in FPL as a ‘captain obvious’ pick.

I wouldn’t risk captaining Mohamed Salah (£12.4m) against Aston Villa despite his goal against Tottenham, as Villa appear to be a tougher unit when playing at home this season. As for Tammy Abraham (£7.8m), on paper he has a good fixture against Watford – however, the Hornets have kept two clean sheets in their last three games, so I won’t be giving him the armband either.


Ash, known by many as Chief, recorded his best-ever FPL finish of 110th in 2011/12 and has become a hugely popular name on Twitter ever since.

Lessons learned from Gameweek 9

399 Comments Post a Comment
  1. balint84
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    C, if Deeney not plays

    1. Ron_Swanson
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Nice post

  2. RedJive79
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Good to go??

    Pope
    Cancelo / TAA / Tomori
    Mane / KDB (v) / Mount / Yarmo
    Kun (c) / Vardy / Pukki

    Bench: Button, Lunds, Dendoncker, Hanley

    1. Pacer.
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Benching Lundstram at home to Burnley is not what I am going to do

      1. RedJive79
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Swap for Tomori?

        1. Pacer.
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Well that's up to you.

          If it were my decision that is probably the one I would make. I'd even go with Lund over Pukki if I had to make that choice. You just know there's a 50% chance of clean sheet and if he picks up an assist too then you're on the wrong end of a 13 pointer

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

            I benched pukki gw5 for lundy.. city at home.. it was a mistake!
            Tho he was in form back then!!

      2. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Wise man.

        1. RedJive79
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Who's more likely to score? Watford or Burnley?

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

      Lundstram over Tomori for sure.

      That team looks quite strong (if Kun starts).

      1. RedJive79
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Getting ready for low expectations but poss big payoff. However, will be no surprise if Kun is benched and comes on for 11 mins.

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

    Is there an acceptable total % for the captain's poll, i.e. what total % would you consider adequate to feel confident in your team set up for a given week?

    Of the top 10 picks I've had 65% of the vote over the past few weeks. It might be 70% this week. Of course this doesn't mean or guarantee success... but is it a metric to look at?

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

      Not a metric I look at but I am considered very maveric

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

        *maverick

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

      I don't care that much lol. I just look over the options in my team and pick the best one. I don't care what % of other people are picking them. I look at the form and fixture of the player and choose accordingly.

  4. Dacra
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    What to do with Otamendi?

    No cash, so 5.4 max replacement?

    Have TAA - Tomori - Rico - Lundstram.

    1. FF Dirtbag
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Surely Soy Sauce is the way?

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

      Soy

    3. clodhopper
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Keep for now he should play scoed last night only pep knows who plays not the armchair experts on here

      1. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Your 2nd point undermines your first, why should he play?

    4. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Looks like he's lost his place now and EFL cup appearance surely points to another benching against Southampton, I for one am selling probable candidate is Soyuncu

      1. clodhopper
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Good luck

  5. lilmessipran
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Any suggestions for this lot?
    Pope 4.0
    Taa lund Rico boly soy
    Raz kdb dilva cho nakamba
    Vardy Tammy Wilson

    1 ft 3.0 itb.. save transfer or transfer out boly?

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

      I think I’d roll the ft for now with a view to finding funds for a Liverpool mid from GW13 - perhaps downgrading Wilson to upgrading Dilva/CHO

      1. lilmessipran
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Thanks, that was the original plan..the boly injury just made things a little complicated

  6. andres
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    So upgrading mid to sterling, wilson to

    A maupay ( leaves 0.3 itb)
    B ings (0.3)
    C connolly (1.7)

    Also have cantwell so likely to do c to have funds for that upgrade next week

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

      I've done C, as want funds to get liverpool mid in soon

  7. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    If you were to ditch any of the fabled five for Robertson for Liverpool's run starting GW 13. Who would it be?

    TAA (lol), Tomori, Lundstram, Rico, Soyuncu

    Do Sterling > Salah instead?

    1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Tomori easily

      1. FF Dirtbag
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Agreed. But it does depend on how sterling does.

    2. KLOPPS AND ROBBERS... the s…
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Got KDB?
      Got Mane?

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

        Ofc.

        1. KLOPPS AND ROBBERS... the s…
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Think you are good

    3. andres
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Salah

    4. FF Dirtbag
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Thinking about it surely if you are happy with your team Sterling -> Salah affects it less?

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

        yeah probably. I'm thinking of doing that move. And then switching Salah back to Sterling in GW 18 for the blank

    5. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Do Sterling to Salah instead. I'd want Matip or a in-form Gomez parterning VVD before considering double defence. Matip is injured and Gomez hasn't worked his way back into the XI.

      And I'd definitely keep TAA, he's better than Robbo in every FPL department IMO.

  8. balint84
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    recommended 5th midfielder under 5.5?

    1. KLOPPS AND ROBBERS... the s…
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      McTominay?
      After that Dend

      1. KLOPPS AND ROBBERS... the s…
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        ah 5th mid, Dend and pocket the 1.1

    2. mazkills
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      tough call. people punting on McTominay, Adama is also popular but OOP in the wrong direction. Maybe just get Donker and cash in on the extra funds

    3. mookie
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      The cheapest nailed on one you can find.

      1. mookie
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Catching all those price rises just to have have McT(5,1m) instead of Dendo(4,4m) on the bench is not my thing.

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

      Is it a 5th mid with 3 good strikers or Connolly?

      That changes things quite a bit. I'm gonna assume a benchie. In which case, I'd just go Dendoncker. Every cent matters.

      1. balint84
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        I prefer 3-5-2

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

    What to do with this? Bad bench, but I will use my wildcard very soon.

    Pope (Button)
    Lundy Tomori Rico (Hanley Reid)
    Salah KdB Sterling Mount Yarmo
    Aguero Tammy (Connolly)

    0,0m in bank and 1 FT

    A. Bank transfer and do Kun to Vardy and Yarmo to Martial next week
    B. Kun to Vardy now
    C. Something else

    Thanks.

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

      A for sure

    2. clodhopper
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Could backfire if kun starts in a massive way

  10. theodosios
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Please remove a picture of this man from homepage

  11. FPL FREAK
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Pope.
    Tomori. Lundstram. Lescalles.
    Salah. Sterling (c). KDB. Mount.
    Aguero. Abraham. Conolly.

    Subs: Button. Rico. Engels. Dendocker.

    GTG. ...??

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

    Bench Jimenez or Mount.

    Jimenez on my bench at the moment but Arsenal def is really bad and will counter Arsenal. Watford have been improving recently and could shut out CHE. Have Tammy.

    So now thinking bench Mount.

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

      what are you running 5 at the back? play both of these guys

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

        Got in Perez for McGinn. Was going to move on Jimenez anyway.

    2. mookie
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      I'd bench Mount

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

        Yeah, thinking the same.

  13. lilmessipran
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Which one to start this gw out of-

    A Rico
    B soy

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

      B

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

      Soy

  14. D.Glynn
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who would you consider essential on a WC, all ready have No, TAA KDB.
    Thanks

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

      Definitely get them two in

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

      TAA, Kdb,Sterling,Salah

    3. mazkills
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Vardy, Tammy perhaps build around that

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

    Best Otamendi replacement for 5.6 or less?

    Have Lundstram. Rico, TAA and Tomori.

    Thanks

    1. Bonus magnet
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      cANCELO

    2. Albert_Luque
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Soyuncu

    3. clodhopper
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Keep if he plays this weekend he could get a haul get rid next week

  16. Albert_Luque
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Planning on a hit this week - which squad do you prefer? A is more balanced, but Sterling is more explosive than Son so I'm undecided.

    A) Pope-Button
    Alex-Arnold-Tomori-Soyuna-Lund-Rico
    Salah-KDB-Mount-Maddison-SON
    Vardy-Abraham-Connolly

    B) Pope-Button
    Alex-Arnold-Tomori-Soyuna-Lund-Rico
    Salah-KDB-STERLING-Maddison-Hayden
    Vardy-Abraham-Connolly

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

      I would prob do B with Mount over Maddison, or try to find .3 for Martial over Maddison.

  17. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Potential moves.. would you go

    A) Connolly and 5.2 max def
    B) greenwood and cancelo
    Forwards in both will be fodder in a 352.

    Pope
    TAA - Soy - Lundy - Rico - XXX
    Sterling - Salah - Kdb - Martial - CHO
    Abraham - Jimi - XXX

    TAA - Soy and prb lundy pick themselves.. cancelo would be nice.. but gives another benching headache!
    Could just get another cheap def in and save the cash

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

      Despite fixtures, i would prefer to pay that bit more for Ayew than Connolly. His fixtures will turn soon, his stats are good, getting plenty of gametime and ticking along nicely. Connolly is not secure imo.

  18. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    In GW 13 I could have the following 8 "premiums" plus cheap players but 0.5 short. Which should I downgrade and to who?

    A) Vardy
    B) Abraham
    C) Salah
    D) Mane
    E) KDB
    F) Martial
    G) TAA
    H) Mount

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      I think either B or H. Probably lose Mount to be honest - there's other options in that bracket with decent enough fixtures.

      1. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Thanks

  19. Bonus magnet
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Take 3

    G2G for the next 2 GW?

    next week cap Kane

    ryan
    mendy lund soyuncu
    mane kdb CHO yarmo
    kane aguero(c) barnes

    button tomori dendoncker aurier

  20. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Best move here?

    Pope Stek
    TAA Ota Soy Lowton Rico
    Mane KDB Mount Saka Cantwell
    Vardy Tammy Wilson

    1 Ft 5.1 itb. Will captain Mane or KDB if I don't get Sterling.

    A. Saka > Martial
    B. Saka + Wilson > Sterling(c) + Connolly (-4)
    C. Wilson + Otamendi > Kane + O'Connell (-4)
    D. Saka + Wilson > Firmino + Martial (-4)

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B

      1. King Kohli
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers Berb.

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

      D. Liverpool fixtures turning. Look at firminos returns for his first 5 games vs the last 5 tougher fixtures. Get in early imo

      1. King Kohli
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        If I do D, do you think my team has a lack of captaincy options?

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

          Mane, kdb, vardy all regular starters (key for captain choice) and decent captain options.

          1. King Kohli
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            Cheers mate

    3. clodhopper
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Dendonka for cantwell upgrade saka

  21. Yoshioka
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Hi, sorry for noob question: I have 2ft - if I just use 1, will I have 2ft again next week? Thanks

    1. mookie
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

    2. mazkills
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      yes

    3. Yoshioka
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Thanks, guys.

  22. balint84
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    A) McTorminey+Connolly
    B) McGinn+Greenwood

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

      A

  23. crystalstream
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    A bit boring but which would you do.
    Button for Gazza - play during Ryan’s upcoming fixture shift then sell OR
    Wickham for Connolly and bench Pieters for him this week only

  24. balint84
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    on wildcard
    A) Vardy+McGinn
    B) Jimenez+Maddsion