Awards

Vote for the best FPL defenders of 2019/20

The Fantasy Football Scout end of season awards continue this week with another poll for you to vote in.

We started the week looking at goalkeepers, but it is time to focus on defenders, overall points, price and value in Fantasy Premier League all factors to consider.

2019/20 was another season for flying wing-backs with an interesting overlap with last season’s best performers…

2018/19 Team of the Season Review – Defenders

  • Goalkeeper: Alisson
  • Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Matt Doherty
  • Midfielders: Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling, Ryan Fraser, Eden Hazard
  • Forwards: Raúl Jiménez, Sergio Aguero

It is not so often that we see this but each one of last season’s best defenders managed to follow up with another strong campaign in the following year.

Just over 12 months ago, Liverpool pair Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson tied the vote on a share of 25.1% each having scored 185 and 213 points respectively.

This time around, despite a drop in clean sheets, both full-backs secured more attacking returns than in 2018/19, Robertson total rising from 12 to 14 and Alexander-Arnold’s from 14 to 19.

Matt Doherty also went from strength-to-strength in 2019/20. The Wolves wing-back’s first full Premier League campaign yielded a total of four goals, seven assists, eight clean sheets and a final score of 144.

It was up to 167 points for Doherty this time, which we’ll cover in more detail below…

2019/20 CANDIDATES

Trent Alexander-Arnold

What Liverpool win at Leicester means for FPL assets involved
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson and Andrew Robertson in action for Liverpool

What a year it has been for Trent Alexander-Arnold, finishing the campaign with more points than any other FPL defender (210).

In the end, he was agonisingly close to breaking the record for highest season score in that position, set by Robertson’s 213 points in 2018/19, but a Gameweek 38+ benching robbed him of the opportunity.

However, the fact that Alexander-Arnold got so close to that tally is a telling reminder of what he has to offer. Remember that Robertson reached 213 points with 21 clean sheets to back it up; his right-sided counter-part got three points shy with seven fewer shut-outs.

It was, of course, attacking returns that set the tone for Alexander-Arnold in 2019/20, as he involved himself in 19 of Liverpool’s goals.

Direct free-kicks were mostly responsible for his four strikes, while a total of 15 assists was at least three more than any other defender this season, and seven more than Lucas Digne, who finished third for that particular statistic.

Accordingly, Alexander-Arnold secured seven double-figure Gameweek scores, including a record-breaking 24-point haul at Leicester during the winter.

Matt Doherty

Matt Doherty continues to fly the flag for something of a dying breed in FPL over recent years: the flying wing-back.

Wolves’ 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 systems have both featured the Republic of Ireland international in advanced positions once again in 2019/20.

As a result, despite a price-hike to £6.0m, Doherty still offered value, with four goals, eight assists, 12 clean sheets and 167 points overall. That made him the only non-Liverpool player in the top-four among defenders.

It was really the second half of the campaign that the right wing-back’s explosive potential became apparent, as his attacking capabilities were finally combined with reliable defensive returns.

Wolves had always been good at keeping things tight during Nuno Espirito Santo’s Premier League campaign but often struggled to convert this into clean sheets.

Willy Boly’s return to the side from injury in Gameweek 25 made all the difference. Between then and the end of the campaign, Wolves kept nine clean sheets from a possible 14, the joint-best in the division.

As a result, Doherty registered four double-figure hauls during this period, blanking on just two occasions. A price rise to £6.5m seems inevitable for 2019/20 but if Wolves keep up their clean sheet output, it may be a price well worth paying.

John Lundstram

FPL 2019/20 In Review Part One - Goalkeepers and Defenders

What can we say about this man that hasn’t already been said? A one-man cheat code for much of the 2019/20 season, John Lundstram will go down in Fantasy Premier League history like nobody ever has done before.

A £4.0m defender starting as a box-to-box midfielder in a team that can keep clean sheets meant ‘the Lord’ could offer various scoring avenues.

While he was well-known in the Fantasy Football Scout community during pre-season, the rest of the world first discovered Lundstram in Gameweek 2 when he scored the solitary goal in a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace and registered a 14-point haul.

It got even better in Gameweek 11 when he scored twice in a 3-0 win over Burnley and came away with a whopping 21 points from one match.

Admittedly, Lundstram was unable to spend the entire of the season in the Sheffield United side, losing his place to Sander Berge just before lockdown, but he still managed a fair number of starts afterwards, adding a goal on the final day of the season.

But it is hard to say 2019/20 was not a success for him as a Fantasy asset. Five goals, four assists, 10 clean sheets, 15 bonus, 144 points, an average of 4.3 per game, all for a man who started the season at £4.0m.

A shift to midfield and likely price-hike to above £5.5m awaits for Lundstram, but we can still cherish the memories.

Ricardo Pereira

It might be a long time since Ricardo Pereira was a much-discussed Fantasy asset considering his pre-lockdown injury, but in the first half of the campaign, he was up there with the best.

Between Gameweeks 1 and 15, Leicester’s right-back was joint-top for clean sheets among defenders with a total of seven as the Foxes made a lightning-fast start to 2019/20.

At that point, Pereira was level with Jonny Evans and Çaglar Söyüncü but had more attacking returns at the time and was playing in a more advanced role.

That had helped the Portuguese international score 82 points in the first 15 matches of the campaign, at an average of 5.5 per game.

Things tailed off for Pereira as Leicester’s form dipped and he picked up an injury between Gameweeks 29 and 30+, but there is still plenty of potential going forward if he can get fit for 2020/21.

Andrew Robertson

As previously mentioned, Robertson could not quite match his record-breaking 213-point season tally from 2018/19 this time around but a score of 181 is nothing to be sniffed at.

The clean sheets did drop off for Liverpool this year, the Scottish international able to capitalise on a total of 13, but he more than made up for that short-coming as he pushed forward.

Registering the same number of assists as the previous campaign (12), Robertson advanced his goal threat in the Premier League during 2019/20, netting twice.

That helped him average five points per game this season and, as the campaign wore on, he started to find himself matching Alexander-Arnold’s output once again.

Between Gameweeks 31+ and 38+, Liverpool’s Beckham-esque right-back got just three attacking returns. Increasing his role in corners, Robertson doubled that tally with one goal and five assists combining for involvement in six of Liverpool’s strikes.

Another price-hike seems likely for the left-back in 2020/21, and we could see yet another campaign of debate over which Liverpool full-back is the better option.

Caglar Söyüncü

As mentioned above, Söyüncü was one of those Leicester defenders who had produced more defensive returns than others in the same positon during the first 15 Gameweeks.

It was the Turkish international who achieved the highest levels of popularity as a result, considering his kind starting price of £4.5m.

Even when he hit £5.0m at the height of Leicester’s powers, that was still better value than those around him in the Foxes’ defensive unit and there was, of course, some attacking threat too.

During the period in question he assisted in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United before posting a 14-point haul for a goal, clean sheet and three bonus against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 11.

Like Pereira, things tailed off for Söyüncü after Leicester hit their rough patch, keeping just five clean sheets from Gameweek 16 onwards and not adding to his attacking returns.

Despite that poor second half of the campaign, price rises are probably incoming for Leicester defence, even if it’s just by £0.5m, which will make it harder to consider Söyüncü in 2020/21.

Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk is often seen as third-fiddle to Alexander-Arnold and Robertson but finishing as the third-highest-scoring FPL defender is nothing to be sniffed at.

Despite that aforementioned drop-off in clean sheets (from 20 to 15 for van Dijk), Liverpool’s centre-back still ended up with 178 points, just three shy of Robertson.

Playing every minute of the cmpaign certainly helped, which may come into play a lot more for Fantasy managers next season when the price gap between van Dijk and the full-backs expands and Neco Williams starts taking starts off their hands.

It is also worth pointing out that 2019/20 provided more double-figure hauls for van Dijk than it did Robertson. While the left-back recorded just one, the Dutch international managed two of them.

The first came when he scored both goals in a 2-1 win against Brighton, racking up 17 points, before 15 were posted in 2-0 win over Manchester United.

DON’T FORGET TO VOTE

1,125 Comments Post a Comment
  1. How should FPL handle position changes?
    Rotation's Alter Ego
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    By my count, there could be 15 players having their positions changed according to FPL current definitions, with a number of high profile forwards (Aubameyang, Rashford etc) being moved to midfield.

    The issue here is that the current "trendy" formations such as 433 and 4231 will only have 1 playing FPL Forward, which leads to a natural erosion of this player pool in comparison to previous seasons.

    In fact, who would be the noticeable forwards? If we adjusted this season as if the change has already been made, you'd have Kane (for a bit of the season) and Aguero + Jesus (would likely always be rotation risks) as premiums. Below that you'd have Vardy, Jimenez, Martial and then a grouping of likely cheap forwards, with only Ings really standing out.

    Personally I can see this just reaffirming the template and would be against FPLs usual focus of keeping the pools of players in each position somewhat balanced.
    Alternatively, the wingers could be moved to forwards - however this could be even worse! A gigantic proportion of the top midfielders would become attackers, making selecting 5 midfielders a tricky task with KDB far outscoring all others left behind.

    So what should FPL do? Try to find a way to keep Auba and co forwards? Or, could the solution be to aggressively price midfielders/premiums? That could certainly shake the template up.

    Or just try a season with a huge array of midfield options?

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Do you think Shoving Mane, Salah, Sterling, Martial up front might be a better outcome for the game RAE? Instead of moving Auba, Rashford, Greenwood backwards to midfield?

      We already have midfield big hitters sewed up for next season in KDB & Bruno, with Pulisic, Ziyech, Havertz & a few notable others about to join them

      Whereas up front no one in their right minds will be picking Kane or Auba at 11.0+ with the paltry points they offer vs Ings, Jimmy, Vardy etc

      Put the wide forwards up front imo & the game might be more balanced?

      The prospect of Auba & Rashford as mids is mouthwatering mind you - but just don't know how to fit them in with KDB & Bruno!

      1. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        If you move Sterling, Salah and Mane up, can you keep Ziyech, Pulisic etc in midfield? Surely you'd have to switch them as well, leaving KDB and Fernandes as the only premiums imo.

        KDB Bruno Auba Rashford sounds crazy.... but say goodbye to your budget - means everyone will be loading on the same few cheap forwards I think, which I'm also not too keen on.

        Genuinely don't know the best solution!

        1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah honestly don't know the answer...

          Do we have any reliable data that shows exactly how many games a player started in those positions I wonder... and even then it doesn't legislate for a team like Liverpool, where Salah & Mane might start out wide, but clearly spend time during the game in the CF slot? The same is also true of Sterling - he clearly pops up in the CF slot for periods of a game, even though his "starting position" would look like wide forward

          Whereas players like Pulisic/Ziyech/Havertz to be fair to them i think we can reliably say that at no point will they ever be on CF duties??

          Its a tricky one, maybe letting sleeping dogs lie with current (midfield) positions is the least controversial solution

      2. MosF94
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I really dislike the idea of moving Salah, Sterling, Son and co to forwards. If they'd done that at the start of the season, the top 5 scoring mids would look something like this:

        KDB: 251
        Willian: 168
        Grealish: 149
        David Silva: 139
        Mount: 137

        Which would make for a miserable game, really.

        And I'm not sure I agree with the "paltry return" argument for Kane. I mean, he's had a poor couple of seasons by his standards, but if he can stay for and start 35 games next season, I'd back him to score 25+ goals. At 11m, possibly even 10.5, I think he could present interesting value for the coming season. I might still lean towards having 3 premium midfielders, and reckon most people might do similarly, but I'm not sure that's necessarily a problem?

        1. Skonto Rigga
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Aye. And even then you could say Willian and Grealish could be reclassified as forwards, too, given that they also have (latterly in Grealish's case) played in a front three this season.

        2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          The Kane/Auba remark was a bit naughty to be fair 🙂 And it was *slightly* tongue in cheek albeit Kane has a lot to prove imo even though things did seem to start turning for him since the West Ham game

          But on the midfielders - remember Bruno & Pulisic would both be in there had their seasons not been so truncated (on points per minute they are insane) and you're also going to have Ziyech & Havertz who look like absolute monsters from an output perspective plus Ferran Torres

          I don't know the right answer, don't even know if it would be good to have thoseguys up front, its a very grey area of the game & difficult to solve (if it is indeed, even classified as a "problem" in the first place)

          1. MosF94
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Bruno absolutely - it'd be him and KDB scoring ~250 points while everyone else is sub-180!

            Pulisic I think would arguably be a forward too? He's more a left-winger than a left-midfielder, at least. And reclassification would raise a lot of these questions - would Fraser be a midfielder or a forward? Brooks? Traore, if he's playing in a 343? You mention Ziyech, but if he's playing on the right-wing, would they call him a midfielder under the new system? I guess they might, because he's more a playmaker than a goalscorer, but there's still room for contention!

            1. Andy_Social
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              The problem I'm trying to highlight, is with a lack of premium midfield options, Bruno and KDB will have 100% ownership, which would make the game too boring.

              1. MosF94
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 8 months ago

                Completely agree. And, conversely, with an overload of premium midfield options, it should make for enjoyably diverse teams!

            2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Yeah the only thing that I think exempts the likes of Willian & Pulisic from the reclass would be that they don't "rotate" into the forward slot during the game the way the other guys (Mane, Salah, Sterling) do - In Salah's case he'll sometimes just flat out start up there rather than just spending 5-10 minutes there at various times!

              So you would definitely have muliple 200+ midfield candidates in KDB, Bruno, Pulisic, probably Haverta & Ziyech plus whoever else steps up (that would be 5-6 200+'ers versus 5 midfielders got 200+ this season)

              But Son is another one who raises that type of query though & to be honest it just starts to get very messy

              1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 8 months ago

                Plus if we're complaining about a lack of 250+ options - something drastic needs to be done with the striker position - it's being absolutely strangled year by year - the last few years of the scoring system has seen even 220 points become unattainable for a striker

                2 players over 200 points this year is indicative of a position that's on life support (for its premium options)

                A "fresh blood" transfusion in the form of Salah, Sterling, Mane could be just what the doctor ordered!

      3. Cak Juris
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        And Salah! And Mane! And Pulisic! And Son! And Sterling! And Ziyech!

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Auba as a mid is very tasty.

    3. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      can't they just swap one of the mid slots to a forward slot? so you pick:

      5 defenders
      4 mids
      4 attackers

      put all the inside forwards in the attacker section, easy

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        not like a 424 formation or a 334 formation is unrealistic (when you take into account a couple of the 4 attackers are probably wide players)

        1. Rotation's Alter Ego
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Not sure it's that realistic, just something that happens when teams push high rather than a predetermined formation.

          Perhaps split mids into attacking mids and defensive mids, allowing stuff like 4222?

          1. SADIO SANÉ
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            yeah thought of that before, but that sounds like a bigger change for FPL to make - the attacker section in my idea doesn't mean centre forwards, just means attackers. Also no requirement to play all 4, the really good inside forwards will be really expensive anyway

      2. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        FPL are big on the "Real formation" thing. Don't think they'd want to have people lining up with 424 formations etc

        1. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          a 424 is just a 442 with wingers, not exactly sacrilege

        2. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          speaking of realism, my GW37 midfield was:

          Salah Sterling Son Martial Foden

          with 3 wingbacks in defence 😀 😀

      3. Badluck Jonathan
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I think this is the answer. Can’t see them doing it though

      4. Christophe Savage
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        This

      5. Eze Really?
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        THIS

    4. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Maybe have the folloing groups

      GK
      Def
      Mid
      Wide player
      Striker

      And your choice going 2 wide players and 3 mids etc.

    5. Limit80
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      What about giving points for more than just goals and assists and clean sheets, to make defensive midfielders more appealing and expensive? Then move the wingers to the forward pool.

      1. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I like the way Allsvenskan do bonus points - think there's definitely some credit to it.

        However, do you want to spend 90 minutes cheering for CBIs, or cheering on as many goalscorers as possible? The latter sounds way more fun personally.

    6. Rotation's Alter Ego
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      KDB Salah Mane Sterling Mahrez Son Pulisic Fernandes Rashford Auba Ziyech

      Plus (arguably) cheaper options like Pogba Lo Celso Alli Bergwijn Moura Mount Pepe Grealish Foden Traore

      Plus any new signings like Havertz

      vs Martial Vardy Jimenez Jesus Aguero Kane Ings

      Hard not to see all the money going into midfield if everyone is shifted there!

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I would not go Martial at 10+. Some are suggesting Martial at 10.5 lol. He is bound to score much less as a fwd compared to a mid. Jimenez at cheaper will trump his score.

      2. MosF94
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Also Greenwood, especially if Man Utd don't get Sancho. Maybe Maddison will return to his more threatening no.10 role. Barnes got 16 returns with inconsistent minutes, he could be an option. Matheus Pereira from West Brom, 8 goals 20 assists last season. Benrahma will surely either be promoted with Brentford or snapped up by a PL club.

        Midfield is most definitely looking stacked...

    7. MosF94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I'm not sure about the "reaffirming the template" part, because, especially if Rash and Auba become midfielders, there'll be so many interesting premiums (even without factoring in the forwards), that it'll be really tough to pick 3 (which is the max I can see people fitting in without decimating the rest of their squad).

      Salah, Mane, KDB, Sterling, Mahrez, Bruno, Rashford, Sancho(?), Pulisic, Ziyech, Havertz(?), Aubameyang, Son - there is a real possibility that all of these players will be premium midfield options in FPL next season. Is it going to be easy for a template to form, with that amount of talent available? I'm not sure it is!

      1. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        No you're right - the midfield would have plenty of options to find differential premiums, but I can see the same 2/3 cheap forwards being in all teams, with a cheaper defence (with defenders from the same 2/3 teams).

        You'll end up with most positions looking the same, bar midfield, but perhaps I've misread the situation

        1. MosF94
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          That's a fair point. I think having 2 Liverpool defenders will still be pretty popular - I'm currently planning on having both TAA and Robbo. I imagine Doherty will have plenty of owners too.

          I could definitely see the attacking positions becoming extremely template. There's normally only 1 or 2 outstanding sub-7s each season (Jimenez at 5.5 in 18/19, Ings at 6 this season - though speaking from experience it can be irritatingly easy to miss the boat early on and refuse to jump aboard...), and I could see Che Adams, for example, who might come in at 5.5 and should have a much-improved season in a dangerous Southampton side, being/becoming an extremely popular pick.

    8. ElliotJHP
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I agree it is tricky for FPL to get right.

      I think moving Auba/Rash to midfield is a good thing for the game. Choosing between Mo/Mane/KdB/Sterling/Auba will be a decision to be made but that makes the game more exciting.

      Kane is the elephant in the room a bit I agree, be interesting to see what Werner is priced at if he enters this bracket.

    9. FPL Theorist
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      If they want to revive interest in premium forwards without wholesale reclassification, then they need to give forwards 5 points for a goal like midfielders get. Then a hat-trick for a forward would only give them a maximum of 1 point less than a hat-trick for a midfielder (if the midfielder keeps a clean sheet). A forward would actually have a legitimate chance of being top scorer in the game without having to score 30 goals.

      1. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        You'd have to change BPS if you did that, already a bit crazy forwards get 24 BPS for each goal they score

        1. FPL Theorist
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Yes, equalise it at 18 BPS for either a midfielder or forward goal.

    10. Greek Freak
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      This conversation has become tedious, only because the two sides are very predictable.

      - If Salah, Sterling etc. are midfielders, let's make Auba a mid too!
      - But that creates an overload of premium mids!

      - If Auba and Rashford are forwards, then Salah, Sterling etc. should be too!
      - But that creates an overload of premium forwards!

    11. Legomané
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Irrespective of lack of consistency between player classification from different teams, I think FPL have the balance about right as it is.

      This was the first season in a couple of years where there were genuinely multiple decent forward options to select from consistently. Pumping more mids into forward bracket or losing some to midfield bracket won’t help that balance to continue. If the likes of Antonio and Martial joins the ranks fair enough. The one thing I’d like to see would be a pricing structure that makes a few of the premium forward options more competitively priced against premium mids, to make the bracket more tempting.

      Having played the FIFA World Cup game in 2018, I’d strongly object to attacking mids and wingers being reclassified — it was a dire experience exactly because of this — and I imagine FPL will be wary about such a drastic step.

      1. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        That's true actually, didn't really enjoy that winger change at all in the WC game.

        Taking a subjective approach and holding players as forwards when they'd normally be classed as midfielders would certainly be controversial though (I say controversial, though I really mean we'd have quarrels but 95% of the managers probably couldn't care less 😉 ) but it would keep that nice balance.

        I'm really not sure it's an easy choice for FPL Towers to make, certainly don't envy them for it.

        Could pricing top-end midfielders harsher help though? Might lead managers to go with some cheaper, better value mids and instead spend a bit more on forwards / defence.

    12. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Agreed with your concern.
      Template will be same as this season.
      Taa + cheap
      Big Midfielders
      Cheap Strikers.

      Game is very biased towards Midfielders who score goals IMO. It's actually very very old. Need revamp completely in points system. Mids like salah mane Raz getting CS + 1 point extra for goals is not cool IMO.

      Nobody, i repeat literally nobody apart from Burnley play with 442 with genuine wingers IMO. All are hybrid strikers playing on wings tucking in to create space for FB's to overlap. Too much advantage for these big hitting mids to ignore them tbh.

      I say make 4 mids 4 striker's & make all of them (mane raz salah etc) striker's. 😀 (not happening i know)

      1. FPL Theorist
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I'm not really bothered by the 1 CS point, but the extra point for goals really does mess things up a lot. I only captained a forward 10 times this season and judging by my stats, I should plan to do so even less next season.

    13. Rossonero
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      In my opinion there is one thing i would look at when we talk about position change. In some cases like Martial it is obvious that he needs to be a forward next year. But when it comes to wingers it gets tricky.
      I would put all those wingers in two groups :

      1. Wingers that sometimes plays at striker position
      2. Wingers that never play at striker position.

      Here are few examples.

      - Salah often plays as striker when Firmino gets subbed, so imo he should be a forward, just as Sterling when Jesus/Aguero get subbed off so those two
      - Greenwood/Rashford - if Martial gets injured one of them is likely to get that striker spot so should stay forwards
      - players like Willian, Pepe, Sane etc. will never play as striker, so they should stay mids

      Like to know what you think about this.

      1. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        It's an interesting idea, though carries some issues about subjectiveness. Where do you draw the line? 1 game at CF and you become a forward (ie Mane)? Or is it a more vague approximation?

        Salah, Mane, Son, Martial, Sterling, Werner, Richarlison would join the existing forwards, with Ziyech, KDB, Mahrez, Fernandes remaining. It's more viable I think, but still might swing too heavily towards forwards.

        How would you call a player like Havertz? Definitely could play upfront, but would play the vast majority at number 10. He should 100% be a mid, but depending where you draw the goalposts he could be incorrectly included as a forward.

        1. Greek Freak
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          The only idea I've seen with no problems is for FPL to just copy how a player is listed in a team's website. Salah and Mane are forwards according to Liverpool for example. Mahrez, Foden and Bernardo are midfielders, but Sterling a forward according to Man City. And so on.

          1. Rotation's Alter Ego
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Wonder if you could slip Man City's web developer a couple quid to list Aguero as a defender... 😉

            1. Greek Freak
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              😆

              This system also conveniently fixes my main problem with the current classification, which is the fact that Salah gets 5 points per goal and clean sheet points, which compared to players like Auba and Rashford doesn't make any sense.

        2. Rossonero
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          There is no way this can be done objectivly, there will still be players that we can't tell 100% where should they go. But in those cases i thing it is ok to be subjective.

          For example, if we put Salah, Mane and Firm all as strikers there is noone we can choose from their midfield, so in this case i have no problem to see Salah as forward and Mane as mid.

          Also for players like Pulisic, i would still have him as mid since he haven't played that striker role yet.

          All new players that come to the league and are attacking mids/wingers (Ziyech, Havertz...) would be mids until proven otherwise.

          I have no problem to have more forwards, 5-6 season ago it was unthinkable to play anything other then 3-4-3, but with the rise of the wingers that changed, and more and more people play 3-5-2 (even 4-5-1). So shifting the balance of power to forwards isn't necceserraly a bad idea.

          Again, in some cases when in certain club to many players meet this criteria and would leave no viable option in midfield, player with least chance to play as striker would be left as midfielder (like Mane in Liverpool).

          Would still be pleanty of options to chose in midfield - KdB, Mahrez, Foden, Bilva, Mane, Pepe, Willian, Pulisic, Ziyech, Bruno,Pogba, Lingard, Alli, Bergwijn, Lucas, Madison, Barnes etc, etc...

    14. Je suis le chat
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Imo players should be categorised into a) defensive or b) attacking, and we should be able to pick 5 defensive (incl goalies) and 6 attacking players per match.

    15. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Don't know where all this as come from . They are not going to change it . Salah would have been changed last season if they were going to do it

      Every year people talk about what will probably change and FPL dissapoint year after year. Sure it gives you somthing to discuss but surely noone really expects big changes. Martial , Antonio then maybe but Salah, Rashford, TAA , Mane, Aubs etc. Forget it

    16. PascalCygan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I hope FPL approach the decisions with the players’ careers in minds, not just switches from the most recent season.

      That’s where they arguably went wrong with Zaha, Ritchie etc in recent seasons.

      I’d also approach it with an element of ‘real’ football / non-FPL thought. Even though he was moved out left this season, I don’t think many keen football followers would ever call Aubameyang a winger or midfielder?

      I understand the counter-arguments with Sterling / Salah and it data is important but objectivity is impossible so it’s always going to be a subjective call. And if it’s subjective, I think FPL should consider as many aspects as possible.

      Even as an Auba loyalist for long periods this season, no to Auba as a midfielder! And I wouldn’t class Rashford as a midfielder either.

      Good healthy debate!

      1. Nanoelektronicar
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I agree, the "history" aspect should be included, i.e. I would reclassify Martial, maybe Antonio, but not Aubameyang, Rashford or Greenwood.

        But that is inconsistent and in the end unfair as they would play same position as Salah, Mane, Sterling, but with 4 points for a goal and no CS point.

        1. PascalCygan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          There will be a bit of inconsistency, but football is full of grey areas and nuances you can’t distinguish with stats. I hope FPL approach it as much.

    17. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      What if there's a balance?

      I don't think Auba and Rashford should become mids. It would weigh the midfield down too much and leave too few forward choices.

      Here's how I would do it:

      - Every team must have at least one first choice 'forward' - so Werner would definitely be a forward.
      - Players that have STARTED games as an outright #9 (centre-forward) are classified as forward.

      I think the latter would leave Mane, Salah, Pulisic, Mahrez at midfield but Rashford, Auba and Sterling would be considered forwards because they have played centrally leading the line.

      1. PascalCygan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Maybe with a minimum amount of appearances or percentage of starts as a 9/CF?

        This is where nuance and subjectivity comes into it, isn’t it? Sterling to me still feels like a winger playing as a (sometimes false) 9, whereas Martial and Antonio are more conventional centre-forwards.

        Let’s hope FPL treat it on a case by case basis.

      2. jimski
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Pretty much agree with Camzy. Auba and Rashford are forwards. As is Greenwood. And Martial. All are players who slot in up front at times. Salah and Mane tend to stay wide. I think even Sterling is a midfielder - look t how Pep kept playing Jesus up front when Aguero got injured.

      3. Pieterke30
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Good idea but I do think Salah has already started one or two games as Pool’s number 9

    18. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Unless maybe they keep the three existing categories of outfield positons - but somehow within the midfield postion, players who are designated as wide forwards (Mane, Sterling, Salah, Son, Richarlison etc) don't get the clean sheet point?

    19. mikeycee93
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      This is by far the hardest thing FPL need to sort out.

      IMO liverpool line up a 4-3-3 with Mane/Salah/Bobby as 3 forwards - all of 3 who'd i'd class as forwards as they all interchange.

      Similarly though if City line up 4-3-3 with Sterling/Mahrez/Augero - I class Sterling as a forward along with Aguero but not Mahrez as we never see Mahrez through the middle.

      Same at Arsenal 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 Auba/Pepe/Lacazette play as the front 3 but i don't class Pepe as a forward but i do Auba.

      Then Man U have Rash/Greenwood/Martial - I'd class all 3 as forward.

      How the heck FPL define what is a forward and what is midfield with those types i have no idea. As you can see from my POV most teams play with a 4-3-3 but i don't see Pepe, Mahrez as 'forwards' but i do the others. That's my own opinion but yeah this is by far going to be the toughest decision for FPL IMO.

      Most teams play with one main striker and two wide players/inside forwards. Whatever they do will no doubt cause some debate but i wouldn't like to be the one making the decision.

    20. King Kohli
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Keep the price of premium forwards slightly less and fairly price the mid range forwards.
      For example,
      Kane - 10
      Auba - 10
      Vardy - 9.5
      Martial - 9-9.5
      Werner - 9.5
      Jimenez - 9
      Ings - 9

      This would make lots of people interested in the likes of Kane/Auba/Vardy/Martial thereby making the premium mids more of a differential as you cannot fit everyone in.

    21. Bambi
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I think the problem stems from FPL being developed at a time where 442 was the norm. Thus making a spare sub slot for each position suitable. Now with more variable lineups and inside forwards matching or sometimes outscoring the central forward it is time that FPL re-evaluated their allocations per slot.

      Maybe they should add more granularity - for example adding the basic midfield slot (3 option slots to fill - players include KdB, bruno (premiums), lo celso, pogba, maddison etc), an attacking midfield slot (3 option slots to fill e.g. salah, sterling, auba, son), and forwards (2 slots to fill - Jiminez, Ings, Kane, Martial etc).

    22. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I think the question is: Could this player, playing in a wide forward role, play up front on their own? Are they primarily a goalscorer?

      Martial, Rashford, Auba, Richarlison are all strikers. Mahrez, Zaha and Bernardo are not. Sterling is borderline but probably a forward.

      1. Pieterke30
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Agree 300%.

        When I read some say that Greenwood should be a mid I puke in my mouth. He is a 9 in essence, only playing RW now bc OGS likes Martial there. But it will change. Greenwood will soon be Utd’s nbr 9. He is a killer, a fox, a striker. Will never ever be a mid (in real life).

    23. ritzyd
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Just sort by shots in the box for the season and classify accordingly. For last season top are:

      Jimi 118
      Salah 110
      Jesus 101
      Firmino 99
      Sterling 83
      Vardy 80
      Abraham 79
      Dcl 74
      Ings 78
      Maupay 73
      Auba 69
      Aguero 68
      Richarlson 71
      Mane 64

      To me that show classifications are just about right but that salah and sterling should probably be made into forwards being 2nd and 5th for shots in the box overall. Less of an argument that richarlson and mane should be moved and agueros numbers are way above most mids so should probably stay as a forward too.

      1. ritzyd
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Meant auba should stay as fw not aguero. Really dont see how salah/sterling can remain mids

      2. Baines on Toast...
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I like the simplicity of this. And Salah and Sterling both can play as number 9, Mane doesn't. Having them as forwards would mix things up.

      3. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Wow

        Hadn’t clocked how lethal Ings was compared to Jim. Bit of an eye opener - nearly on a par with Auba there assuming close correlation between SiB SoT and goals

    24. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Whichever re-classifications are made, it is a level playing field for all. I'm not bothered by it. We will all be playing the same game.

      I feel like some have certain ties/biases to players (Liverpool, Man Utd fans) and don't want to see their favorite player re-classified from a personal point of view. But we can't play with those biases.

      Like every season, we adapt with the prices/reclassifications FPL gives us. If they make the premium mids into forwards, we'll have to adapt our strategy a bit. I'm not concerned about it. I feel we need to adapt every season

      1. The Mighty One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Let’s get our pitchforks ready!! We don’t need logical level-headed thinkers like this guy! We are gonna toss you out. (Great reply. Cheers.)

    25. Flaming Flamingo
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Am I the only one struggling to see what the issue is? If anything, I think more premium mids is a good thing because it will lead to more diverse teams. If the argument is that strikers are now less enticing, then it's the job of FPL to change prices to make strikers more viable compared to their midfield counterparts. The classifications should always be objective.

      1. Pieterke30
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Doubt it would lead to more diverse teams. I think everyone would play 451 with at least 4 big hitters in midfield. Striker will be Werner or Ings in every team, if enough money. If not, the same 6.5 in every team.

    26. ringwraith
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      It seems the obvious change(s) to be made would at least start with Martial going to FW. Do Rashford, Auba, etc.. move to Mid? I believe price should be left out of the thinking. On price for example: Auba playing the same position but, being moved to a Mid designation will get him more points but, is it that big a difference to effect price.

      I agree with R.A.E. that a balance needs to be struck if there is going to be major movement. Meaning more than a few(3-4) players. The players moving other then the obvious(Martial) should then be chosen by how many times they actually played in said position. How many times did Martial, Son, Sterling, etc actually play a true striker position? If balance is what is to be the end product then you have to use stats to be fair. The stats being the number of times a player played the position. This is hypothetical as i don't know the numbers, say Sterling played true forward = 7, Son = 9, Martial = 11, Trossard = 8, Saka = 3, Perez = 12. The player playing the FW position the most should be moved if there is going to be movement other then the obvious. Let's take 50%, Perez = 12, Martial = 11, and Son = 9 would move. Again i have made these numbers up to convey my point. I also think 50% is to much, probably should be 33%.

      I don't see a major problem that we need a big shakeup but, i have also seen and heard people say that there were a good number of midfield choices. But, as FFS Neale mentioned there are 5 mid positions and 3 fwd positions to fill on your team. This could end up out of balance with to much movement.

      There also are always the low priced FWD's that come through. Ings, Abraham, Pukki, Wood, Calvert-Lewin, Ayew had 132pts and Maupay had 131 both a few more then Calvert-Lewin.

    27. tm245
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Good question and conversation, but maybe the larger issue might be that, until Project Restart, there was a lack of a true Big Six with plenty of viable premium options.

      Treating the numbers or stats for 2019-20 as one cohesive season doesn't really work, especially since the five subs rule during Restart exposed the wealth gap between the top clubs and the rest of the league, whereas the first 29 weeks exposed the talent/performance gap between Liverpool/Man City and the other 18 teams.

      As far as concerns about a template, GW38 is a great preview of what used to be able to happen more regularly in FPL with premium/Big Six attackers. Look at the list of viable picks heading into Sunday based on form, fixtures, opportunity (all of these had double digit hauls in the Restart or had been providing multiple returns):
      City - KDB, Sterling, Jesus, Silva, Mahrez, Foden
      United - Bruno, Rashford, Martial, Greenwood
      Liverpool - Salah, Mane
      Chelsea - Pulisic, Giroud, injured Willian
      Spurs - Kane, Son
      Arsenal (sigh) - Aubameyang, maybe even Lacazette

      You could field almost three different FPL attacks from just those six teams, each of which would have been legitimate picks to score big. I count six forwards, seven if you include Laca, and that is without Aguero or more importantly, the three best FPL forwards this season: Vardy, Jimenez, Ings.

      Final note on forwards: I think we are all forgetting what a loss Aguero was to FPL recordbreaking. If he is healthy in that rampant City attack, he likely gets 100 points this summer.

    28. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Reclassify Rashford into a midfielder for sure.

      Auba should probably stay as a forward because he doesn't really play wide left, whereas Rashford does go right out to the touchline on quite a few occasions and lets Shaw or Fernandes pick up the ball inside him.

      Some of it is to do with pricing. Who are the quality players? I would say Aguero, Kane, Aubameyang, KDB, Sterling, Salah, Mane, Son, Fernandes

      Below that you have the next tier like Rashford, Martial, Jimenez, Vardy, Jesus, Mahrez who are top players, but they don't have the same haul potential as the top tier.

      Because Salah is currently a midfielder who earns an extra CS point and point for a goal compared to say Kane, then the pricing needs to reflect that. If Kane is your benchmark at 11.0m then Salah should be 13.0m or 13.5m.

      People will say that is defensive pricing, but if FPL want to increase the pool of viable (viable is important here) FPL picks then you need to make it difficult to choose between an 11.0m Kane who gets no CS point and one point less per goal vs a 13.5m Salah who will probably score as many goals as Kane, but is the £2.5m difference worth it?

    29. Jolly Good
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Why are we fussing about lack of forward options - we have
      Aguero, Kane, Vardy, Martial, Jiminez and Ings to choose from for 2-3 slots. This is assuming Auba moves to mid.

      Price the forwards slightly cheaper and I think 3-4-3 will be almost as popular as 3-5-2.

      This season Aguero+Jesus scored 278 pts between them so wouldve outscored KDB (and more had Aguero not been injured - shame about the rotation)

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        It is your second paragraph that is the issue though.

        Kane is 11.0m. Salah is 12.5m.

        Salah and Kane will score a very similar amount of goals. But Salah gets an extra point for a goal and point for a CS. Given Salah isn't really a BAPS guy, then the extra bps that Kane gets for a goal, doesn't really make up for the points difference between Salah and Kane.

        Will FPL really drop Kane in price? I can't see it. So the solution has to be put Salah, Mane, Sterling and KDB up in price. There needs to be a decent difference in price to make it hard to choose between Kane + extra money vs Salah.

        1. Jolly Good
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Salah had 19 goals + 10 assist, 233 pts or 8.03 per goal involvement

          Kane had 18 goals + 2 assists, 158 pts ... so 7.9 pts per goal involvement

          So yes the mids are outscoring slightly but the higher bps for fwds on goals almost make up the difference from CS and extra goal point.

          KDB & Salah are the highest point scorers because they have the highest goal involvements not because they are mids...

          1. diesel001
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            It is not just about GI though. If it was, Vardy would have more points:

            Vardy had 23 goals + 7 assists = 30 GI yet he is behind Salah in points.
            Rashford had 17 goals + 8 assists = 25 GI yet he is 60 pts behind Salah.
            Auba had 22 goals + 5 assists = 27 GI yet he is behind Salah in points.

            Martial with 1 more GI than Rashford is over 20 pts ahead of Rashford and only 10 behind Vardy.

            Why is it that the forwards are consistently coming up below the mids despite the forwards having similar levels of GI? Suggests there is an imbalance in the points scoring.

            Now that is fine to have that imbalance, because it can be fixed through pricing. But at the moment we have a situation where if you can get Salah for £12.5m or Kane for £11.0m + £1.5m extra and they both have the exact same fixtures, the vast majority would pick Salah over Kane and just downgrade elsewhere.

            That suggests that one of them is priced incorrectly. Are FPL really going to drop Kane to £10m? Probably not. So the solution has to be to put Salah up to £13.0m or £13.5m.

        2. Pieterke30
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          They actually should drop Kane in price. 10.0, or even 9.5.

          I think it’s better to drop the price of those who have been disappointing than constantly increase the price of the biggest premiums

    30. beetlejuice
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Just go grab the average positions of each player for the season and you have the answer.
      There is difference between Liverpool’s 433 (Firmino is playing in number 10 role, Salah and Mane as RW and LW as in V shape) and city’s 433 ( reverse V, aguero striker and wingers in a deeper position) . Based on this ; Salah and mane should be forward and firmino mid, and current city positions are correct imo. Comparing teams is not a correct approach. Pulisic should be mid, martial is forward . Son can go both ways . Kane is forward .

    31. Cak Juris
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Play 4-5-1 formation in FPL

    32. Salarrivederci
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I just feel like copying the official teams websites on player positions is the most fair thing to do. Salah, Sterling, Mane, Pulisic and so would become forwards.
      How they want to tweek and twist the Bonus system and scoring is up to FPL, but when Liverpools official site lists Salah as a forward, I feel it is wrong to classify him as a midfielder.

    33. Stats Don\'t Lie
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I saw a very interesting suggestion in a FB group that the game should keep up with the times and add an extra fwd slot with the ability for us to play up to 3 fwds which I thought is a very good idea. Take away a slot from midfield, backup gk or a defender. Or maybe just expend the squad to 16 to make budgeting and bargain hunting more difficult and encourage diversity? To go with this, I do think there are mids that should be moved to fwds and the idea of making all players in front 3 fwds is good although some common sense should be used. I'd basically say that players like Sterling, Auba, Salah should be fwds, especially due to the times they play up top/false 9. Someone like mahrez should remain a mid though as he is more of an out and out winger.

    34. Alberto Tomba
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      More aggressively pricing the Midfielders (and even defenders) woudl be good, Finally balancing the Points Per Million disparity

      I interpret the FPL classification around which third of the pitch a player seems to have most of their action, so for me moving Sterling, Salah and Mane up seems fair too, and then as suggested by others, moving the FPL to 5, 4, 4.

      Otherwise, under the current system i think a benched non-playing forward looks increasingly likely.

    35. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Getting the right price for every player negates the whole issue. 13m plus for Salah Bruno KDB Mane makes you think twice on them.

    36. MrZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Maybe the fwd slot should split into 2 wingers & 1 striker

    37. HollywoodXI
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Change midfields and forwards to “attackers” (one group) and allow an FPL player to select 8 attackers. The player then chooses which formation they play each week as usual but has a choice as to which players are positioned as strikers and which as midfielders each week (which adds another layer of strategy to the game and goes somewhat to avoiding a template forming).

    38. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      If Auba, Rashford, Greenwood become mids, I dont want to have 3 strikers in my squad. Teams will be too similar, too much template. Would be extremely BORING

    39. vibhormbic91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Switch to 5-6-2 instead of 5-5-3

  2. How should City improve their team?
    My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I think Akè is a great signing for City

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      He will be to expensive as an FPL asset.

      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        We'll have to wait and see. He's very attacking iirc?

        1. FOO FIGHTER
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          City defensive assets do not do well. Overpriced. 4.5 and 5's outscore them.

          My rule, no City defensive assets.

          1. My heart goes Salalalalah
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            I hear you. But don't forget about Laporte last season...

            1. FOO FIGHTER
              • 4 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Don't forget Pep roulette. Torres replacing Sane will already see reduced minutes for the current City attacking assets.

              Pep made a ridicolous amount of changes this season. I don't think Pep is done in the window, any more attacking players added and it is game over.

              1. My heart goes Salalalalah
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 8 months ago

                Yep. But if Ake only misses 1 in every 5 games, he might be great

                1. FOO FIGHTER
                  • 4 Years
                  3 years, 8 months ago

                  Meh.

                  The points table for City defenders is living proof that they are overpriced and roulette ridden.

                  1. My heart goes Salalalalah
                    • 7 Years
                    3 years, 8 months ago

                    Laporte was injured for most of the season though

                    1. FOO FIGHTER
                      • 4 Years
                      3 years, 8 months ago

                      So you going to risk picking Ake?

                      Can you fit in TAA and the like of Doherty then.

                      City defensive assets an absolute no from me 😀

                      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
                        • 7 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        If he plays most of the games, I think I will. If he plays as attacking as he did at Chelsea, absolutely. Plenty headed goals

                      2. FOO FIGHTER
                        • 4 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        Garcia, Laporte, Stones, Ota and Ake.

                        5 CB's which Pep will tinker with.

                        I will just stick to my rule of no City defence.

                      3. Old Man
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 12 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        Ota should be pensioned off. Stones might be sold. (but he might buy another!)

                      4. Pat Bonner
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 12 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        I get the feeling that Foo Fighter doesn't like City defensive assets

                      5. FOO FIGHTER
                        • 4 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        I prefer nailed attacking fullbacks.

                  2. Greek Freak
                    • 8 Years
                    3 years, 8 months ago

                    Well, not entirely - they're also proof that Laporte was injured!

                    When he wasn't injured the season before he got 177 points.

                  3. cravencottage
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 12 Years
                    3 years, 8 months ago

                    I have to agree with this. City defenders just dont represent the value that Wolves/ SU etc do.

    2. Geoff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1288783751347085313

      Just made this a Hot Topic.

      What should City do in the transfer market to improve for next season?

      How much would Ake improve them?

      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I'm thinking another striker?

        1. Geoff
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah I think it's hard to underestimate how badly Laporte's injury issues affected things. Aguero and Jesus both fit is enough, but if/when Aguero gets injured it's maybe a problem.

    3. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Is he actually that good? Was part of one of the worst defences in the league and got relegated... I know that’s not his fault but it’s not exactly a glowing reference

      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        He did well at Chelsea

        1. Pat Bonner
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Did he?? He hardly played and was often left back....I remember he was recalled from his loan and there was some chat that he was to replace Alonso so folk took him out before Alonso scored a double at Leicester! Ake sat on the bench for rest of season

          1. My heart goes Salalalalah
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Don't come on here with your extensive insights and logic 😆

    4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Chelsea's plan to strengthen the rest of European football continues apace...

      First Salah...
      Then KDB...
      Then Lukaku...
      Now Ake...

      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        +1

      2. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        You left out Mou to United 🙂

        1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          He wasn’t a player 🙂

    5. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Ake will be just a backup CB imho.

      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        How would their 1st choice backline look?

        1. jtreble
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Mendy, Laporte, Koulibaly and Walker.

        2. WVA
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Walker Ake Laporte Mendy

          1. Geoff
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            I would have thought Ake would be left-footed backup for Laporte, but I haven't given it a lot of thought

          2. My heart goes Salalalalah
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            My thoughts too

          3. jomikijiq
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Pep will never play Laporte RCB. It makes no sense.

            1. jomikijiq
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Ake*

    6. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No, when you consider the money; £41m for a player from a relegated team. City mindlessly playing over the odds knowing they will cheat their way through the FFP.

      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        if he's just backup, it's a bit rough. But as 1st choice he might well be worth it imo

      2. Forza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Southampton were 2 points above the relegation zone when they sold VVD for £80m. Obviously VVD at Southampton was a better player than Ake is currently, but £41m isn't an obscene figure in the current market, especially considering the £44-54m Sane sale.

        1. Forza
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          when they sold VVD for £75m* 😳

    7. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yep completely agree

      Could be a deadly pairing with Laporte

      Remember when everyone had Mendy or Laporte in their teams

      A premium back line is becoming attractive

      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        He looks like a 5.5 man

      2. cravencottage
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Attractive in real life, but too expensive for FPL with rotation always looming

    8. Siva Mohan
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      only guaranteed way into Man City CS is Ederson.. it's Pep roulette in every other position..

    9. Morph - Unbelievable Geoff
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I can see Ake playing at left back a fair bit (assuming they don't sign a new one).

      He's played there and as a defensive midfielder so would be well suited to Pep's style of having 'tucked-in' full backs with the wingers providing the width. Zinchenko played a similar role at times.

    10. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      GK: Ederson, Bravo
      LB: Mendy, Zinchenko
      RB: Walker, Cancelo
      CB: Laporte, Ake, Garcia, Otamendi or Stones
      DM: Rodri, Fernandinho
      LCM: Bernardo, Gundogan
      RCM: KDB, ?????
      LW: Sterling, Foden
      RW: Mahrez, Torres
      FW: Aguero, Jesus

      So basically Man City need a midfielder to provide a bit of cover for KDB in the easy games.

      Then next season they can let Aguero and Fernandinho go and get in replacements for them.

  3. Geoff
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Another upvote reminder! Use your upvote on any post you think needs more visibility. Certainly upvote any confirmed transfer news.

    And the second part of this is you can change your sorting setting to 'by Rating' instead of 'by Date'. This will help you get a quick overview of what the important news is on the boards. You can make this a permanent setting through your profile, or toggle above the comments section.

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

      Hey Geoff!

      Will we get a one-time payment option for annual membership? which does not involve auto-renewing?

      1. Geoff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Potentially, eventually - for now just buy membership and then cancel it right away, effectively removing the auto-renew

        1. ash and swanson inc
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          I did that, no problems i was half expecting it wouldnt let me log in or make me choose new details, but no hassle

          1. Geoff
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Perfect, good to hear! You should still have access for as long as you already paid for

            1. psykk
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Hey Geoff,

              Is a lifetime membership on the cards at all?

              Cheers

              1. Geoff
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 8 months ago

                I've never understood these to be perfectly honest!

                Offerings change so much over the years with different tiers (not that we have tiers currently), different content options, different platforms, etc. I don't know how a lifetime membership keeps up with all that.

                It's not something that couldn't happen, I would just need to look into it and the terms and conditions that need to be put in place

                1. psykk
                  • 7 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  Fair enough, thanks for the reply!

  4. The Hunt
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I was just looking at the xPTS league table for this season and if it's to be taken seriously then there might be good money to be made by backing Newcastle to be relegated next year. They finished clear bottom on those stats, seven points away from safety and it reckons that 12 of their points were earned fortuitously (or by Dubravka!). At 5/1 I reckon that's a good season long investment.

    One caveat though; it also reckons Manchester City should have won the league by 12 points!

    1. Greek Freak
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      These stats are not surprising at all. Dubravka has a history of being near the top of goalkeepers in terms of xG prevented - so unless he regresses, I wouldn't consider Newcastle being relegated such a sure bet.

      Same for City - in the vast majority of their matches, they had more and better shots than the opposition, which for whatever reason, just didn't go in. Most of their players - with Jesus the biggest culprit - underperformed their xG - whereas the opposite was true of Liverpool (with the notable exception of Firmino, who should've scored a lot more).

      1. The Hunt
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I'll keep my money in my pocket unless Dubravka moves on then!

        1. Greek Freak
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          The top 5 goalkeepers in terms of goals prevented last season btw:

          1. Guaita
          2. Lloris
          3. Henderson
          4. Dubravka
          5. Schmeichel

    2. FPL Theorist
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not taking into account GK quality is a severe limitation of xPTS or any defensive stat based on xG, that shouldn't be trivialised.

      1. Greek Freak
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I don't see it as a limitation necessarily - you just need to know how to read the stats.

        1. Greek Freak
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Same for a player's xG - for example Maupay had about as many expected goals as Aubameyang, but that doesn't mean we should expect them to score about the same.

        2. FPL Theorist
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          I see what you mean, perhaps it's just the public not taking the trouble to fully understand the stat. But if someone were writing a scientific journal article on this topic, the reviewers would expect them to mention not taking into account GK in the "Limitations" section.

  5. Make Arrows Green Again
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I'm trying to write a big community piece about captaincy choices and which stats/views are the most accurate indicators of future success.

    I intend to look at the captaincy poll, form, opposition etc from the captain sensible articles and cross-ref them against what actually happened.

    To do it properly I want three years' worth of data and I'm a bit stumped as I only have week-by-week breakdowns from the current, active season. Does anyone know where I can find breakdown data from previous seasons? Someone must have an archive of it somewhere (TBH I'm surprised FFS don't have it but they don't seem to)

    thanks

    1. Make Arrows Green Again
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      don't worry I now have it!

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Looking forward to this.

      This is the type of feedback loop / black-box thinking analysis that usually garners results.

  6. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Ake and Garcia are in the bottom 10 PL defenders for aerial duel success rate. Let's hope for that partnership when they play Burnley 😉

    1. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Neither will play in that game.

      1. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Haha yeah, they'll be the backups in all likelihood.

  7. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I know Pep is a genius and all that, but how many teams actually play with a right footed and left footed CB pairing? How many of the best ever CB pairings were that way? seem like micromanagement (not necessarily good) to me

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I think Ake is a back up to Laporte given his constant injury woes, so I can see them buying another RCB.

      This is Pep after all, he has now spent close to £400m...on just defenders.

    2. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Laporte and Koulibaly are a good pairing imho.

      1. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Koulibaly is a LCB, albeit right footed. They need an actual RCB.

        1. jtreble
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Nonetheless, Laporte is going to be the starting LCB and Koulibaly is going to be the starting RCB imho.

          1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            I don't even want to think about City with Koulibaly on board & Laporte fit for a full season

            Everyone else may as well pack up & go home

            1. jtreble
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              +1.

        2. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          this is kind of what I'm saying, I know players get used to playing on a certain side or whatever and may need a little transition time but I see no reason that a 40m+ player wouldn't be able to play on either side - that includes Laporte

      2. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        agree, would be good - but I don't think it's got anything to do with footedness really - a good CB is a good CB, if Ake and Laporte are good enough, playing them both together shouldn't be a problem - people acting like it's blasphemy to put two left footers together.

        Of course if Ake isn't 'good enough', then paying 41m seems a bit strange - but it's not my money and helps Bournemouth out (and teams for whoever they spend that money on too) so no big deal.

        Little bit lame when teams are spending 41m on backups though, kinda lessens the thrill of winning imo

        1. jtreble
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Ake isn’t going to play much imho.

          1. SADIO SANÉ
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            yeah probably not, he's basically a Rodwell/Delph signing - homegrown, good enough to start but also unlikely to tear the place down when he doesn't

    3. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      With all these early City signings, looks lie City are ready to rub salt in the wounds of UEFA fair play.

      Anyones guess how many more new players will still join City but looks like they are going to spend spend spend. Aguero out of contract end of the season as well so Pep may decide to get another striker. Ha ha.

      1. Greek Freak
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        In Pep's eyes I bet they are a small club who are being unfairly persecuted, whereas Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea are free to spend their way to titles 😆

      2. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        haha probably, on the fence with it tbh - on one hand it lessens the thrill/dampens achievement when money from outside the game effectively buys greater success, but on the other hand it's more money to go into the football 'economy' - maybe that drives prices up but teams can still operate very well on limited budgets, as we saw with Leicester.

        Even Liverpool's net spend hasn't been ridiculous because of the Coutinho sale and some absolute bargain buys. I'd like to see some rules on net spend, and also big academies poaching players, to level the playing field a bit - but when oil money is being injected it's hard to say some other non-City teams aren't better off for it, even if they think otherwise.

    4. jomikijiq
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      It helps massively during build-up play, because they can move the ball a lot quicker. Left footed CB can have passing angles that are impossible to pull off for a right footed LCB. They can go outside to the touchline when right footed LCB will always tend to go inside. Compare the variety of passes Laporte and VVD can play.

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        yeah I understand the thinking behind it, just think it's micromanagement for the sake of it, maybe so he can look 'clever' idk - also 40m+ players should (and probably can in Laporte's case) play either side imo

        1. jomikijiq
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          There's a clear reason for why they decided to buy Ake instead of keeping Otamendi / Stones / Dinho as back-up LCB, the build-up suffered too much when Laporte was out.

          The starting RCB will for sure be right footed. Koulibaly / Diego Carlos / Skiniar/ whoever.

  8. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Wanted to ask a question about bonus points. When Rashford scored a goal he would go high up in bonus ranks but when martial did he would stay low. Is this because of the way the 2 play or because of how they're classed? So if martial will be a forward next time and rashford and mid will martial have a greater chance to be in baps than rashford?

    1. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A mid*

    2. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Striker gets 24 bps
      Mids get 18 bps

      For one goal.

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Thankyou!

    3. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Classed. More bps for a forward than a mid. Martial would do better in bonus if a forward but would score a point less for a goal and not get clean sheets

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Thanks!

    4. circusmonkey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Martial is lazy so gets no bps for other stuff.

  9. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Price for Ake if Man City move goes through? I'm guessing 5.5 or 6.0.

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Laporte 6.5
      Walker Mendy 6
      Cancelo Zinchenko Ake Stones Otamendi 5.5
      Garcia 5

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Minefield in other words 🙂

        1. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          need a Kyle Walker injury and we're in!

      2. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Lol, pick one and perhaps get 70 to 80 points.

      3. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Garcia if he stays will be first choice. A complete steal at 5.0m.

    2. Ser Davos
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I think Laporte should come in at 6

      1. Ser Davos
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        But otherwise agree with Berbs.

        Stones could be a fiver

  10. Bielsa's Bucket
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Not to pour more confusion on the Auba midfield vs forward debate. But here is a comparison of Auba’s heatmaps pre and post Arteta’s appointment has Arsenal manager.

    https://twitter.com/jamesbenge/status/1288793631202082823

  11. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Oblak would make Chelsea defensive assets a tasty affair. Whether they are going to make Oblak the most expensive GK ever is yet to be seen though.

    If he does join then 1 x CHE defender in from the start...

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      To go with your triple Chelsea attack?

    2. Ser Davos
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Still suspect in terms of defenders though...

      Alonso, aging Azpi, Zouma, Christensen

  12. Ser Davos
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I think City could have a back three at times next season

    New RCB | Laporte | Ake

    Allowing the WBs more license

  13. Ser Davos
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Weird to think we'd usually be scrambling over tinkering with drafts and pre season at this point