Captain Sensible

Who are the best FPL captain options for Blank Gameweek 28?

Liverpool and Leicester assets are at the centre of an intriguing captaincy debate for Blank Gameweek 28.

With Manchester City out of the picture thanks to the EFL Cup final, we have fewer options to draw on – but that does not make picking a skipper any easier.

As the Friday night deadline hurtles closer, we have executed a deep-dive into the Opta data to help you chose the best captain for Blank Gameweek 28.

As this article uses data from the Fantasy Football Scout Members Area, only those signed up for the 2019/20 season, the half-season package or a monthly membership can access it in full.

Captain Poll

After scoring in Monday night’s 3-2 win over West Ham, Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) tops the Blank Gameweek 28 captain poll by a considerable margin.

The Egyptian faces a Watford side that has lost the momentum of Nigel Pearson’s December appointment, conceding at least twice in three of their last four matches.

Returning to the scene of his first-ever Premier League goal for Liverpool, Salah has scored four times since Double Gameweek 24, more than any of his colleagues. That has led to 42.1% of voters lending him their support for the Blank Gameweek 28 captaincy.

However, Salah has struggled for goals on the road in 2019/20, netting just twice in league games outside of Anfield. In fact, Salah is still yet to score in an away match that Sadio Mané (£12.3m) has started this season.

The Senegalese international has scored in back-to-back games since returning from his Double Gameweek 24 injury and has a total of five goals away from home this year, compared to Salah’s two. Involved in three assists in such matches, admittedly fewer than the Egyptian’s five, Mané still has more goal involvements on the road than his colleague on the other flank of the attack (eight to seven).

Despite that, the former Southampton attacker is a long way off the top of the captain poll, with just 12.1% of our voters selecting him as the best option for the armband this weekend.

Ahead of him is Jamie Vardy (£9.7m), who, despite not scoring a Premier League goal since Gameweek 18, when Leicester were beaten 3-1 at Manchester City, has attracted the backing of 20.2% of the voters.

The Foxes face a Norwich side that, despite recent improvements at the back, were well-beaten by Wolves in Gameweek 27, conceding three times at Molineux.

Daniel Farke’s men remain in one of the worst sides defensive at home so far, averaging two goals conceded per match at Carrow Road after 13 outings there. That’s the second-worst in the Premier League.

The question is whether an out-of-form Vardy can capitalise on that this weekend. Interestingly, only 1.9% have leant their support to his team-mate Harvey Barnes (£6.0m), who has outscored the forward by 33 points to 14 from Gameweek 19 onwards.

That is good enough for fifth-place in the poll, just behind Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.7m) on 7.6%. The Liverpool right-back has not blanked in a game he has started since Gameweek 13, still on a remarkable run of reliability.

He did not even need a clean sheet to get two assists, maximum bonus and 10 points against West Ham, suggesting there could be more to come against Watford.

Despite his Gameweek 27 blank against Aston Villa, Danny Ings (£7.1m) has been backed by 1.6% of our voters as Southampton prepare to face West Ham. Meanwhile, his colleague Shane Long (£4.6m), who outperformed and outscored Ings last weekend, was chosen by 0.2%.

Roberto Firmino (£9.7m) comes into Blank Gameweek 28 with more away goals than any other Liverpool player this season but only 1.6% of the voters believe he is worth captaining against Watford.

James Maddison (£7.4m) and Ayoze Pérez (£6.2m) are the other alternatives in the Leicester attack for the trip to Norwich, pulling in 1.5% and 1.3% support respectively.

Teemu Pukki (£6.5m) and Bruno Fernandes (£8.2m) are the only other options backed by more 1%.

Player statistics – Last four matches

663 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FPL Xylophone
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    All the hype last week about Wolves beating the bottom team in La Liga. They will not win the Europa Cup, with teams like Arsenal, United, Leverkusen, Roma, Seville and Inter still knocking about.

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I'm just glad Arsenal made the list 🙂

    2. HTL
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Hopefully they'll all knock each other out on the way. Just need a semi final appearance to get Sheff Utd away moved to the Sunday (on a stag do in Notts on the Sat)

      1. FPL Xylophone
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Already is happening. Arsenal out. You may get lucky!

    3. GREEN IS GOOD
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Bookmarked

      1. FPL Xylophone
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Wololo

    4. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Say WHAT?

    5. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Arsenal fan here but Wolves are the side I want to avoid most, reckon they’d do most teams over two legs

      1. FPL Xylophone
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Bye bye arsenal

  2. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Imagine believing ole would leave martial out of the squad if nothing was wrong. Deluded owners

    1. Sloane426
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Imagine living your life

  3. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    What is better?

    A) Play Martial, Boly first sub

    B) Do Martial to Bruno for a hit

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Martial has done himself again.

    2. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      A

  4. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Would tou do:

    A) Auba to Vardy for -4
    B) Traore to Barnes/Perez/Maddison -4
    C) Stephens to Pereira -4
    D) not take a hit

    0 FT, 2.0 itb

    McCarthy
    TAA - VVD - Taylor - Lascelles - Stephens
    Salah - Fernandes - Traore
    Jimenez - Ings

    Henderson - Auba - Kdb - Fleck

    1. Goonsquad245
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      V tempted by B or C

  5. Almathkourq8
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I have feeling that Pérez will do better than Barnes/Maddison

    Grealish to Pérez!!
    Yay or Nah !

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yay

    2. Goonsquad245
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yep

    3. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes but wait until close to deadline. Maybe someone might leak the lineup early so you can be sure he starts.

    4. Boomerang V
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I would. Leicester fixtures are great. Villa’s on the other hand are horrible.

      My only concern is: will he play week in week out? Will he get cameos?

      1. Almathkourq8
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Thats my only concern, he might be week in and week out !!

  6. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Do we think Traore will start vs Spurs?

    1. Goonsquad245
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Unlikely at this stage. Getting too many mins tonight

    2. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      0 % chance he has to start. Even NES find out that he is fraud

      1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        But he scored?

        1. Niho992
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          and they lose.

          1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Okay then big man who do you support

          2. Annie
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            You really know nothing

            1. GREEN IS GOOD
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              *less than nothing

        2. GREEN IS GOOD
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          NIH0992 is obsessed with Traore, just ignore him.

          1. Annie
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            And Aguero, KDB etc massive troll

    3. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Nope, not after tonight.

  7. CheesyZoot
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Greenwood to make an appearance on the weekend yay or nay?

    1. Young Lingard
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Good to great chance now tbh

      Hopefully solskjaer is pressed on martial post game or prior to Fridays deadline

    2. Klaren
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Probably about 50% chance to start.

    3. Dosh
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      May even start now with Martial out.

  8. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    2FTs and 1.3m ITB

    Guaita £4m
    Trent Soyuncu Stephens Rico Holgate
    Salah Traore Cantwell Grealish* KDB*
    Vardy Ings Auba*

    A) Auba > Jota
    Grealish > Mane

    B) Holgate > Doherty
    Grealish > Barnes

    C) Auba > Jota
    Grealish > Fernandes
    Rico > Robertson -4

    Opinions appreciated.

  9. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    If you already have 11 this week is it worth getting rid of Traore ahead of Grealish?

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

    2. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yup

  10. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Fplstatistics down for someone else?

    1. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yep

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Damn

  11. The 12th Man
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    is this a viable plan?

    WC used.
    Get gw 31 blankers in from now . ( these will have DGWs later)

    FH in 31.

    Current gw 31 players.
    Traore,Jimenez maybe Lascelles,Grealish,DCL,Digne.

    Plan would allow exit for Digne,Lascelles,Traore before 31 and concentrate on Pereira,Aubamayang,Bruno,Barnes.

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Good plan with bo WC

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        No*

      2. The 12th Man
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Leaning this way now.

  12. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    That makes me want to buy him.

  13. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Doherty with another goal. Man is on fire at the moment!

  14. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Time for Greenwood to shine or lump it up front Ighalo.

  15. SHOOTER MCGINN
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Traore rested for weekend

  16. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Doherty

  17. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Doherty. Best RB in the league.

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      TAA proves you wrong

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Trent glances towards you......

      1. Niho992
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Trent is good but not even good as Doherty who should be England first RB ahead of Trent and Trippier

        1. Tempestic
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Hes not even English tho

          1. Tempestic
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            and even if he was, ur speaking nonsense lmao

          2. Niho992
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            He should be

            1. FOO FIGHTER
              • 4 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Lol

        2. FOO FIGHTER
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Ain't he Irish?

        3. FOO FIGHTER
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Fail

    3. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      best RWB yes, not sure hes great defensively tho. Trent best RB by a mile

      1. Klaren
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        There are better defensive RBs than Trent (Walker, AWB) but it's Trent's attacking skills which make him great. Even though he plays RB, he plays more like a RWB and definitely way better than Doherty.

      2. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Got to admit that TAA is excelling due to the system Klopp has implemented, best RB in the world as we speak but put him in a side battling relegation and he wouldn’t stand out - Klopp’s system allows him to bomb forward & more or less refrain from defensive responsibilities

    4. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      TAA & Reece James play badminton?

      1. Niho992
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Reece James loooool

        1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          I’m a Gooner so bloody hate Chelsea, the kids class

          1. Niho992
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            We saw RJ vs Bayern. Lol

    5. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Seamus

  18. Mike2795647
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Got 11 and 1 or 2 on bench depending if I keep Grealish or move to Barnes / Pérez or Maddison.

    Question is do I start Traore or Cantwell, not loving either at moment

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I'd go Cantwell

  19. HTL
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Doc goal.

    Honestly don't know if Traore will start at the weekend. You'd expect different tactics from tonight but if he plays two up front (both rested tonight) Traore unlikely to be starting.

  20. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Is there a chance that Martial plays this weekend?

    Literally this never ending list of injured players I bring in 2020 continues:

    -Fabianski
    -Son
    -Martial
    -Mane (TC)
    -Redmond

    1. Duffy Dunk
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Wow you're on a roll. It's just bad luck though.

      1. Ci Siamo
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah it is indeed, how I am top of my ML still is nothing short of a miracle

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Hearing it only a slight injury concern. I reckon he starts the weekend, misses the FA cup tie midweek and then starts vs City.

      1. Ci Siamo
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Hope you are right dude

      2. Duffy Dunk
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Do teams that play late on Thursdays have normal press conferences on Fridays?

    3. Klaren
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Ole said he hopes he'll be ok for the weekend but didn't seem to know much about the extent of the injury yet.

      The injury couldn't come at a worse time, now need a -8 to have 11 in GW28 with Rico also a rotation concern. Will probably have to WC.

  21. Tempestic
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Hayden expected to start this gw? Heard someone mention newcastle injury news means he might start, anyone know if this is true?

  22. Tomas_brolin
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    What do we think of Traore to Fernandes for free?

    Thinking that Traore starts on bench for the spurs game

  23. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Chances of Williams starting at the weekend?

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Bloody hoping so - down to 11 & used my FT

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        I need him to field 11 too. Might be worth a hit

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I think there’s a good chance Ole plays him with being on bench tonight.

  24. Duffy Dunk
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Phew, thank you Martial for solving the Stephens/Saiss benching dilemma.

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Benching dilemma?! Subtle brag.

      1. Duffy Dunk
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        No brag at all, I really couldn't decide which one of them to start/bench.
        If Martial is out for gw28, he'll sit on the bench next to Henderson, KDB & Saka.

        1. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Pulling your leg 😉 plenty struggling to field ten men.

    2. I Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Good chance Martial would've outscored the two of them.

  25. KDB4PREZ
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Leicester double up in defense worth a punt over next few GWS? Own Evans and debating bringing in Periera along side him as a Lundy replacement

    1. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Not for me, no

  26. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Was planning on some exciting moves but with Traoré unlikely to start and Martial possibly injured how does this look,

    Traoré and Martial to H.Barnes and Bruno

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Very good

      1. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers pal

  27. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Bring KDB or any other asset you want.

    Trent Alexander Arnold, thank you very much.

  28. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Newcastle fixtures are SO good . Looking for a cheap mid to have in my starting 11 . St Maximin worth considering ?? Not many returns this season ...

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Exciting player but not likely to bag many returns from what I’ve seen

    2. Duffy Dunk
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Only for bench fodder.

    3. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      That's what I thought , thanks

  29. SHOOTER MCGINN
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I had settled on Pereira over Doherty but not sure again now. Doherty is in form, especially when Traore isn't on the pitch

  30. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    incredible miss from neto 😆