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Rashford re-entering the FPL forward radar as return from injury draws near

With top-flight football tentatively pencilled in for a restart in June, we begin a series of articles looking at players who could make an impact in Fantasy Premier League after recovering from injury.

We begin with an analysis of Marcus Rashford (£8.8m), who has been sidelined since January with a back problem.

Manchester United enjoy one of the best runs of fixtures in the season run-in and had been in decent form before the Premier League was suspended in March, having gone five games without defeat.

Rashford himself had been having an excellent 2019/20 and has already recorded his best-ever single-season totals for FPL attacking returns and points, despite being on the treatment table for much of this calendar year.

With Bruno Fernandes (£8.6m) recruited in the interim to help provide the ammunition, Rashford could be a decent differential forward option for the run-in.

Indeed, the United striker was the most-bought player of what would have been Gameweek 36.

What is Rashford’s Fitness Latest?

Solskjaer provides Rashford injury update as Rodgers backs Vardy from the spot

The first hints that something was up with Rashford’s fitness came in Gameweek 22, when he was withdrawn in the win over Norwich City as a “precaution”.

The forward’s back was said to be causing him some discomfort in that victory over the Canaries and the issue reared its head again a few days later.

Thrown on as a second-half substitute in the FA Cup third-round replay against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Rashford lasted only 16 minutes before succumbing to what later transpired was a double stress fracture of his spine.

After the player entered a period of rehabilitation and underwent surgery for a separate ankle issue, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had described Rashford’s chances of featuring again in 2019/20 as “touch and go“.

That statement from the Manchester United manager came before the coronavirus outbreak halted the season in mid-March, of course, so the England winger now looks poised to play some part in the Red Devils’ run-in.

United assistant coach Kieran McKenna said on April 23 that the club are “hopefully going to have a full squad of players to work with” when training resumes and Rashford has reportedly already been doing individual fitness work at Carrington during the lockdown.

Whose Place Will He Take?

73 Comments Post a Comment
  1. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    For all you vFPL players, I've just done a pretty simple calculation that could give us some pretty useful insight.

    I've gone ahead and taken the amount of goals each club has scored and divided it by their total attacks (from Neale's sheet) to obtain a "conversion rate".

    The top 5 teams in that regard are Man City (by some distance), Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Villa. Man Utd are 11th and Liverpool 15th!

    I feel like there's a common thread linking the clubs with the highest conversion rates but I can't seem to put my finger on it. Maybe it's to do with how some of those teams have one focal player that a lot of attacks go through (Auba, Kane, Grealish)? But that doesn't quite explain City - where literally everyone is clinical.

    Maybe this is a useless stat but I thought it was nice exploring.

    Full table: https://i.imgur.com/rgk1ssM.png

    1. Ragabolly
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Nice analysis! I think it has mostly to do with how clinical the players are. City players are very effective, Arsenal got Auba who converts nicely and so on. While for example Salah and Mane waste a lot of chances, and attacks in general by dribbling around.

    2. Saint Steve-O (@EliteFPL)
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Nice, i see it as literally a game taking the quality of each teams stats, algorithm's whatever and it plays out. The most simplest example i ajways use is look at Aguero (or Auba) just scoring goals for fun, because as their stats probably inputed suggest, they're prolific and always take their chances.... Real life however!

      1. BNMC
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        For that reason, I think the 3 premium forwards (Auba, Aguero, Kane) can keep pace with the likes of Salah and KDB, to the point where they could be considered more "essential"

    3. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Good stuff, BNMC! I've often wondered whether I/we are making too much of the team attack stats and not enough of actual goals scored.

  2. TiAgoFPL
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Rash in Auba out ?

  3. Netters2018
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Hi all been away since lockdown, just back on now we are nearing gw38. Got 2 transfers what to do?

    Pope Button
    Taa Boly O Connell Lascelles Williams
    Kdb, Salah, Mane, Troare, Hayden
    Jimi, Vardy, DCL.

    Thinking either
    A) Traore and Vardy out Bruno and Abraham in.
    Or
    B) Mane and Traore out for Son and Bruno
    Or C) traore for Grealish/Barnes.

    Thanks

    1. All For One
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Vardy>Jota
      Traore>Bruno

    2. Phil's Stamps
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I would hold onto Vardy, he's slowly entering differential territory amongst the higher-placed teams.
      c) for me (Grealish).

  4. circusmonkey
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Brighton, Villa and West Ham are absolutely shameless in their attempt to worm out of restart by whining about neutral venues. Their case defeats itself, as when they are 'away', the oppo won't have that supposed massive advantage.

    Historically a West Ham fan but don't like the board, the fans or the stadium now.

    Germany will restart, so that keeps the flame flickering that we might.

    1. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Was it all 3? I thought it was just Brighton?

      1. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Brighton want relegation off the table if football is resumed.

        The other 19 oppose that.

        1. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Resumed at neutral venues *

    2. Jambot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      West Ham defenders have been practising social distancing at home all season they should just let them play there

      1. circusmonkey
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Yes it was all 3 in slightly different ways.

        Also, I made that joke too: Tottenham's defenders have been give permission to return to training. Doctors are confident they won't get within 2 metres of anyone.

  5. jtreble
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Deutsche Welle (DW): Bundesliga gets government approval to resume season in May:
    https://www.dw.com/en/bundesliga-gets-government-approval-to-resume-season-in-may/a-53350072

  6. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Son or Sané for actual fpl?

    1. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Son

    2. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Way too much risk with Sane

  7. Homer21
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Are people Wildcarding this week and BB next week or do we think there will be more GW's added later if things get moving?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      No games in GW38 with no fixtures.

      1. fc_skrald
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Exactly, all players will earn zero points in gw38.

        1. Pasqualinho
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          My guess (and it’s a good one) is fixtures will be added to the FPL calendar when the dates are made public. Because that’s what normally happens.

          1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            ...and in that framework it is the open ended GW38. You may have a deadline for 38 but where is proof that it shuts I guess you are saying?

            1. Pasqualinho
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              The situation is unprecedented, so I’m not sure that we can be totally certain. But logically the games can still go ahead in GW38. Closest we have come before is when the Man Utd v Bournemouth game was postponed due to the bomb scare a few years back. The season by all previous communication was supposed to be over on the Sunday, but they kept the gameweek open until that game was rescheduled. I don’t see why FPL towers would trouble themselves with any additional gameweeks when their current procedures will allow them to do the same this time around, should the games eventually be played. But, like I say, we are in new territory here so I can’t be 100%.

              1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 10 months ago

                I like your logic more than your voice Joe. I think the gamble of a BB in 38 is justified. Worse case scenario is the season ends or we get some FF with extra GWs. Might keep my WC back and cover that as my slow WC is decent enough I think.

                1. Pasqualinho
                  • 14 Years
                  3 years, 10 months ago

                  If it were me, I’d have put the game into maintenance mode and changed the GW30 deadline date (and future gameweeks) when they knew if/when it was starting again. Then the game could have been played as normal. But that boat has sailed now.

                  1. Jambot
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 13 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    I’m not 100% on how the game is monetised but I assume website traffic is good for them. I’ve been assuming they wanted to keep that traffic so kept the gameweeks and transfers but would still add new gameweeks later. At this point I’m not as confident those gameweeks will be added I’m not sure what will happen.

                  2. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
                    • 10 Years
                    3 years, 10 months ago

                    Yes the postponing of City v Arsenal should of been the catalyst, but easy for me to say

      2. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        So you think its all over or they bring in a GW39 and more then.

        1. Jambot
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          It’s so easy for them to clear this up. I know they can’t do much before the prem says what it’s doing but it’s very easy to decide if you would add extra gameweeks if the football returns or if they will leave it all as GW38. Would take one sentence in the postponed fixtures blurb. Really disappointing that we’ve all been left guessing into the deadline for 37.

          1. HTL
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            Has that sentence about players will score zero in these gameweeks only recently been added? Perhaps it's been there all along but I only had my attention drawn to it last week

          2. Pasqualinho
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            This is what is making me think it’ll just be a big GW38. As you say, it would have been so easy to communicate. But no communication can only really be justified if it’s business as usual, which to me is no additional gameweeks. Your web traffic point is a very good one - if they’d have communicated that everyone will still get their weekly FTs and more GWs would be added when the FPL resumes then they’d have kept the website traffic flowing.

    2. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I think possibly the game over after 38 and they will start new mini game for remaining fixtures when schedule known.

      1. Jambot
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I hope you’re wrong. If they’ve let us do weekly transfers for all this time and the PL does come back in June and they end fpl and start a new mini game I’ll be playing a different fantasy game in future. That’s just wasting people’s time.

        1. dunas_dog
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Yes hope I am wrong too as been playing slow WC! But not sure if their systems able to cope with adding game weeks to season in play.

          1. Jambot
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            There won’t be a problem with their system they can sort that easily.

            1. circusmonkey
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 10 months ago

              You'd have thought so but plenty on here doubting their capability to add GWs after 38.

  8. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Worth keeping 2FT's in GW38 to use in any further Gameweeks that may be added or will they be reset back to one FT for all at the restart?

    1. HTL
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Doubt they'd reset transfers given they've said throughout that wildcards etc. won't be reinstated. The clamour for an answer to whether GW39 and beyond can be added to game is finally growing though

      1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        They have no game without players. Important for the future of FPL integrity that they handle it right.

  9. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    When the restart happens the United fixtures look too good to ignore. How many United players are you planning to have and which ones?

    1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Bruno and Maguire. Not likely to risk Rashford after so long out

    2. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Maguire Fernandes and Rashford

    3. Jambot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Just Bruno for me. I’ve over invested in united and been burned before.

    4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Tony Gloves, Brunandes & AWBonus

    5. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Got Bruno and Slabhead. Will consider Rash in, by no means a cert.

    6. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I'm not allowed rags. It hasn't harmed my rank so far but Fernandes is a worry.

  10. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Assuming fpl comes back with 3.2 m in bank Jota to Rashford is what I was planning with a free transfer, or is there better option do you think? Jota Jiménez may be decent double up with opponents they have to play

    Pope Leno
    TAA Maguire Alonso Lundstram Fernández
    Salah KDB Fernandes Barnes Cantwell
    Jiménez DCL Jota

  11. Gianluca Busio's Hair …
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    to fund Bruno, what 4.5 and under Defender to transfer in not named Lascelles?
    looking at Holgate or maybe just a cheapie like Williams?

    1. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Charlie Taylor

    2. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      VPL or FPL?

      Ward, Cahill, Fernandez

    3. Gianluca Busio's Hair …
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      sorry for the delay, but thank you very much Dunas Dog and Greennred.

  12. Legomané
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Thoughts on best use of 2FT and 0.4 ITB much appreciated.
    Saved FT last wk to ease recruitment of Bruno this wk, however I'm concerned about double Pool v triple Wolves faceoff - Free Hit might even be an option!

    Heaton
    TAA Alonso Doherty
    Salah KDB Perez Traore
    Rashford Jiménez DCL

    (Button Williams Lascelles Hayden)

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Savage team. I know you're doing well so I checked out Perez, never realised he's doing so well. I wouldn't go Freehitting just because Pool and Wolves play each other, could be a goal fest and you've 5 likely scorers there. Maybe upgrade keeper.

      1. Legomané
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        True - good point. Still keen to bring in Bruno so may hedge my bets!

    2. Saint Steve-O (@EliteFPL)
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I assume VFPL? Get DCL gone, Everton useless lol, maybe Salah too?! Fernandes (and if possible) Kane in. I'm looking at WC and only been playing for 2 GWs

      1. BNMC
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I've also been considering going without Salah and having TAA as my only Liverpool player. Pretty risky but I'm not a fan of the fixtures.

        1. Legomané
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Been looking at a couple Liv out options:
          TAA Traore > Bruno 5.4
          Salah DCL > Bruno Kane (0.1 short Auba)
          I'd cap Mo v NOR in GW15, otherwise happy to go elsewhere with captaincy for the next few.

      2. Legomané
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Just ran a Spurs friendly, throws up TOT v EVE... 0-1, DCL the only scorer - classic 😆

  13. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Actual fpl*

    Hi all,

    Best 4.3 defender that isn’t Lascelles.

    Son or Sané?

    Best midfielder for 4.7? Cantwell/Saka?

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Thanks hope all is well

    2. Marmalade Forest
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      If we have a 9 games in 4 weeks Max Aarons might be the answer.

      +Sam Byram is injured +Norwich are playing for something
      -Norwich are pump

      Can see Charlie Taylor getting more rotation in this situation

      1. Champions League Varane
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Not a bad shout actually!

        I was going to get Cantwell as the 4.7 so I’m not sure I would want 2 Norwich players In my squad haha

        Really appreciate that though - I currently have Hanley so trying to upgrade him.

  14. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Is it definitely time to get rid of Mane if you have Salah for the last 9 fixtures of the restart, or is it still a good idea to double up on both?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Maybe he'll outscore Salah in the last 9.

    2. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I've got both at the moment. I think line ups are a guess at best.

      Players will come back with different fitness levels, potential for injuries etc.

      Klopp has praised Mane and Salah by name for their professionalism in keeping fit (prior to Super Cup win) so I'd be inclined to believe they'll be fine and raring to go.

    3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Salah away 5.1 PPA (62 points, 12 apps)
      Salah home 8.9 PPA (124 points, 14 apps)
      Salah with no Mané 11.6 PPA (58 points, 5 apps)

      Mane is presumably going to play
      Liverpool have 4 home fixtures remaining

      It wouldn’t be surprising to see Salah underwhelm in his remaining 9 games

      But then it also wouldn’t be surprising to see him get 100 points in those 9 games either

      But there does seem to be vague order of effectiveness for Salah in FPL:

      Salah with no Mane > Salah with Mane (home) > Salah with Mane (away)

  15. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    No price changes.

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Are there price changes in VPL?

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        no

        1. GreennRed
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Cheers TM. Makes buying back easier.

        2. St Pauli Walnuts
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Perhaps there could be daily highlighted no price change posts anyway?

          I jest, sorry.