Pre-Season

The best mid-price FPL midfielders for 2020/21

Having scoured the Fantasy Premier League price list for the pick of the budget midfielders, we now switch our focus to the mid-price bracket.

For the purposes of this piece, we are looking at options with a starting price between £5.5m and £7.0m inclusive.

You can also read our thoughts on budget goalkeepersmid-price/premium goalkeepersbudget defenders and mid-price/premium defenders, with an analysis of FPL forwards to follow.

Big-Six Starters and Back-Ups

This could be a big season for Phil Foden (£6.5m), who has long been touted as a replacement for the now-departed David Silva.

After being sparingly used before the coronavirus outbreak, Foden was more heavily involved after lockdown, starting six of Manchester City’s final 10 league games and appearing as a substitute in another three.

Foden delivered six attacking returns and averaged 5.6 points per match over this period (the same as Son Heung-min‘s (£9.0m) season-long mean), although it should be said that most of his joy was had in a more advanced position to the one Silva occupied during his decade at the Etihad.

Rotation is inevitable even with ‘El Mago’ gone and, at £6.5m rather than £5.5m, his price makes him that bit harder to own as a luxury pick.

But the 20-year-old prospect is definitely one for the watchlist for when Guardiola’s troops begin their campaign in Gameweek 2 and he offers a substantial saving on even the likes of Riyad Mahrez (£8.5m), who doesn’t look much more ‘nailed’ than Foden.

Elsewhere at City, the jury is still out on new arrival Ferran Torres (£7.0m), while the more restrained Rodri (£5.5m) and Ilkay Gundogan (£5.5m) will only chip in with the occasional attacking return from the base of the City midfield.

Gomez absent for Liverpool as more injuries revealed after FPL deadline

There’s a gap of £5.5m between Liverpool’s two free-scoring premium assets and any other Reds midfielder, which likely tells you all you need to know about the other options from Jurgen Klopp’s side in the middle of the park.

Other than Harry Wilson (£5.5m), who spent last season on loan at Bournemouth, only club captain Jordan Henderson (£5.5m) registered more than five attacking returns among Liverpool’s nine-strong group of mid-price midfielders.

The more attack-minded Naby Keita (£5.5m) is potentially one to monitor after two goals and three assists in just 806 minutes in 2019/20 but it’s in the engine room where Klopp more frequently rotates, while the likes of Takumi Minamino (£6.5m) will be reliant on injuries picked up by the first-choice front three for meaningful game-time.

Game-time could also be a huge problem for Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley (all £6.0m) after Chelsea’s lavish spending in the transfer market this summer, with Kai Havertz also being heavily linked at the time of writing.

Even Mason Mount (£7.0m) may be nervously monitoring the Blues’ in-bound activity, having been a favourite of Frank Lampard’s last season.

Mount – who delivered six of his 13 attacking returns in the first ten Gameweeks of 2019/20 – appeared in all but one of Chelsea’s 38 league fixtures last season, starting 32 of them, but would be a sizeable rotation risk if attacking midfielder Havertz also arrives.

Arsenal’s four mid-price assets are either underwhelming or problematically priced, with Willian‘s (£8.0m) capture potentially eating into the game-time of former budget favourite Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) – who has been handed a £1m starting price rise – and Reiss Nelson (£5.5m).

Who knows what the future holds for Mesut Ozil (£7.0m) after his late-season disappearing act but, even when he was a regular under Mikel Arteta, two attacking returns in ten starts is reflective of his waning powers.

Granit Xhaka (£5.5m) is no longer a set-piece specialist at Arsenal (he took only one corner last season) and is also perhaps half a million too pricey as a result.

Manchester United’s quartet of midfield options in the £5.5m-£6.5m bracket managed just two starts between them after lockdown and, barring any injuries picked up by the first-team regulars, will be expecting to play second fiddle when the Red Devils’ season gets underway in Gameweek 2.

Lucas Moura (£7.0m) and Giovani Lo Celso (£7.0m) are perhaps the pick of Spurs’ five mid-priced midfielders, with the Lilywhites gifted some favourable fixtures at the start of 2020/21.

Lo Celso has enjoyed a share of corners since Christian Eriksen departed and featured in a more advanced role after lockdown, claiming three assists.

Lucas was also a regular down the right flank when football resumed in June and set up two goals, although he and Lo Celso didn’t score a goal or register a big chance between them.

Lo Celso could also potentially move into a deeper role to accommodate Dele Alli‘s (£8.0m) return, while Lucas faces the permanent threat of rotation with Steven Bergwijn (£7.5m) now an alternative on the wing.

Newly Promoted Assets

The four most advanced Leeds United midfielders in behind their central striker will all set FPL managers back at least £5.5m.

The most expensive of them is Pablo Hernandez (£6.0m), who supplied 18 attacking returns in the Whites’ title-winning year.

Unlike his creative counterpart at West Bromwich Albion (see below), however, 35-year-old Hernandez may be prone to a spot of rotation as the season goes on.

He doesn’t have the monopoly at set-play situations, either, so there are understandable reservations about the undeniably gifted Spaniard.

Wingers Helder Costa and Jack Harrison plus the penalty-taking Mateusz Klich will all set Fantasy bosses back £5.5m, the last two of whom both started all bar one of Leeds’ 46 Championship games.

We’ll point you in the direction of our dedicated piece on Leeds’ attacking assets for more information on that trio, although we’ll also highlight the fact that loanee Harrison will be ineligible to face his parent club in Gameweek 4.

Matheus Pereira (£6.0m) is, arguably, the stand-out midfielder from any of the three promoted clubs and he comes at a cost as a result.

A total of 16 assists (and that’s discounting ‘Fantasy assists’), 116 key passes and 20 big chances created were not only highs in the West Brom squad but bettered by no other player in the entire Championship.

No Albion player could match Pereira’s shot count (111) last season, either.

On a share of corner-taking duties and first in line for direct free-kicks, Pereira may offer multiple routes to Fantasy points in an otherwise limited Albion attack.

The chances of wingers Kamil Grosicki (£5.5m) and Matt Phillips (£5.5m) starting in Gameweek 1 may well hinge on who else West Brom bring in over the summer, as Slaven Bilic is down three loanees – all of them attacking midfielders – who played a big part in 2019/20.

You can read a more detailed appraisal of Albion’s midfielders here.

Given their inconsistency against inferior opposition in 2019/20 and the fact they were in and out of the Fulham side at the end of the season, wingers Ivan Cavaleiro (£5.5m) and Anthony Knockaert (£5.5m) have limited appeal at this early stage.

The deeper-lying Tom Cairney (£5.5m) was a more nailed pick under Scott Parker but, given Fulham’s relative shortage of goals in the second tier and Cairney’s meagre FPL returns two years ago, there’ll be understandable scepticism about the Scotland international.

Top-Half Options

There is a lot to like about a Europa League-less Wolves, not least their fixture run from Gameweeks 3-7.

But while Raul Jimenez (£8.5m) offers reliability in terms of starts, the one or two slots alongside him appear to be up for grabs.

If any of Adama Traore (£6.5m), Daniel Podence (£5.5m), Pedro Neto (£5.5m) and the reclassified Diogo Jota (£6.5m) were considered secure starters, then they’d be featuring in a lot more FPL team drafts than they are at present.

Take the post-lockdown period, for example: while Jimenez was an ever-present in the season run-in, not one of the above quartet started more than six of Wolves’ final nine matches.

Perhaps the fixture congestion played a part in that but in truth the uncertainty went further back in the calendar year, with Nuno Espirito Santo alternating between a 3-5-2 and a 3-4-3 from February onwards.

The hope would be for the stability we saw in the middle third of last season but with the emergence of Podence especially, the situation looks too unpredictable at present.

2019/20 felt like a slightly underwhelming one for James Maddison (£7.0m) from a Fantasy perspective, with the England international being outscored by teammate Harvey Barnes (£7.0m).

The underlying data suggests this was something of a freak occurrence, with Maddison registering half the assists that Barnes managed despite creating over twice as many chances.

Barnes does admittedly pose the greater goal threat of the two, getting into the opposition box and shooting on a more frequent basis, but while Maddison is a shoo-in to feature if fit, his teammate is less secure: in the post-lockdown era, Barnes made more substitute appearances than starts.

Ayoze Perez‘s (£6.5m) ability to play on the right or centrally meant he was slightly less at risk of rotation as Brendan Rodgers switched formation in the run-in but he was still the most-substituted Premier League player of 2019/20, averaging only 61.2 minutes per appearance.

Some decent opening fixtures for the Foxes are tempered by Europa League involvement and poor form this calendar year (four wins and eight defeats in their last 17 league matches), so a cure for their 2020 hangover is needed before they seriously re-enter the thinking.

Lundstram benched again as Fantasy owners consider selling the 'Lord'

A reclassification and a price hike were inevitable for John Lundstram (£5.5m) after his memorable 2019/20 but he is still cheaper than current teammate John Fleck (£6.0m), who looks a tad expensive.

What Fleck likely has over Lundstram is security of starts, with Sander Berge‘s (£5.0m) arrival and a contract saga potentially leaving the former ‘out of position’ FPL defender on the cusp of a Bramall Lane exit.

It’ll still be worth keeping tabs on Lundstram if he makes a move to another Premier League team, as he registered more big chances last season than any other sub-£6.0m midfielder in this article.

It goes without saying that he’ll be worse off as a Fantasy midfielder: he would have lost out on around 40 points had he been classified properly in 2019/20.

Fleck registered two fewer attacking returns than Lundstram, meanwhile, so doesn’t scream ‘value for money’.

Fantasy managers know they are getting security of starts with their Burnley assets, and Dwight McNeil (£6.0m) and Ashley Westwood (£5.5m) were both nailed picks last season.

The parallels were striking: both scored twice, set up seven goals, started every match they were available for and shared set-piece duties.

Winger McNeil offers that bit extra creativity from open play, of course, and his expected goal involvement (xGI) suggested he should have delivered two more attacking returns than his teammate.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on the fitness of Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£5.5m), whose glass calves restricted him to just six starts in 2019/20.

On his day he’s capable of an assist or two and the right-wing spot is there for the taking at present, with the Clarets’ squad paper-thin.

Don’t forget, though: Burnley blank in Gameweek 1.

The Best – and Worst – of the Rest

No sub-£7.5m FPL midfielder ‘underachieved’ more than James Ward-Prowse (£6.0m) in 2019/20, with his two missed spot-kicks not helping his xGI delta.

It remains to be seen if Ward-Prowse remains on penalty-taking duties following his two misses from 12 yards, with the Golden Boot-chasing Danny Ings (£8.5m) allowed to take two penalties in the run-in.

No player took more corners than Ward-Prowse last season and he is a constant menace from both indirect and direct free-kicks, which is a good job as his threat from open play has taken a downward trajectory since his move to a ‘number six’ role in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s 4-2-2-2.

Someone who thrived in that new system was Stuart Armstrong (£5.5m), who established himself as one of the two ‘number tens’ ahead of Sofiane Boufal (£5.5m) and Moussa Djenepo (£5.5m).

Not as nailed as Ward-Prowse or the slightly overpriced Nathan Redmond (£6.5m) due to Hasenhuttl’s management of his minutes, he nevertheless registered more goals and shots than any Saints player bar Ings from Gameweek 13 onwards (the point of the pivotal tactical reshuffle).

No mid-price midfielder in this article has indeed scored or shot on more occasions than Armstrong in 2020 so far, even if most of those efforts came from distance.

Only relegated Norwich City scored fewer goals than Crystal Palace last season and, with Roy Hodgson still at the helm, it’s hard to see Wilfried Zaha (£7.0m) and co being transformed into a gung-ho attacking side in 2020/21.

Zaha did register more penalty box touches and shots in the opposition area in 2019/20 than any other midfielder now priced at £7.0m or under, while he has averaged over 16 FPL returns per season across the last four years; last year’s haul of four goals and six assists lowering that mean.

A lack of penalties killed Luka Milivojevic‘s (£6.0m) appeal after two seasons of spot-kick joy, meanwhile.

It’s perhaps worth keeping an eye on Jeffrey Schlupp (£5.5m) in pre-season, with the Ghanaian deployed as an out-of-position striker in the 2-1 friendly win over Oxford United.

Down the M23, Adam Lallana has it all to prove at an inflated £6.5m after years of inertia at Anfield.

Graham Potter’s bloated squad and his predilection for rotation will be enough to put most FPL managers off Brighton assets, despite the promising team he is building.

Leandro Trossard (£6.0m) is the obvious standout name from the Seagulls but even the Belgian, who posed the biggest goal threat of Albion’s midfield assets and who enjoyed the odd ‘out of position’ run-out up front, still warmed the benched on 12 occasions in 2019/20.

Much is expected of Alexis Mac Allister (£5.5m) in his first full season on the south coast but his rawness was evident in the run-in and he remains low down on the watchlist for now.

There was some bemusing pricing of Aston Villa assets going on at FPL Towers upon the game’s relaunch, with the listing of Jota at £6.0m the most baffling decision.

Reported Manchester United target Jack Grealish (£7.0m) is fairly priced, though.

While the Villa talisman only delivered two attacking returns in his final 15 appearances, it shouldn’t be forgotten how impressive he was before that point.

Grealish racked up seven goals, six assists and 14 bonus points in the first 23 Gameweeks of the campaign, averaging a very respectable 5.0 points per match over this period.

Despite the barren run in the final third of the campaign, Grealish still finished first for overall score (149) and points per match (4.1) among sub-£7.5m midfielders (discounting the reclassified Matt Ritchie (£5.0m) and Lundstram).

Only De Bruyne created more chances than Grealish in 2019/20.

Trezeguet (£5.5m) was Villa’s form midfielder in the run-in, scoring three goals, but only Grealish, Douglas Luiz (£5.0m) and perhaps John McGinn (£5.5m) look truly secure in Dean Smith’s XI, with rotation commonplace throughout last season.

McGinn looked off the pace after recovering from a long-term lay-off so it will be interesting to see if a pre-season regime has helped him recover his stamina levels after an impressive start to 2019/20.

Pre-season has started well for Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson (£7.0m), who scored twice and set up another in the Toffees’ 3-3 draw with Blackpool.

The consensus seems to be that the Icelander needs a number ten role to maximise his potential, something that wasn’t afforded to him until Carlo Ancelotti switched from a 4-4-2 to a 4-2-3-1 in Gameweek 37+.

Everton were back in a 4-4-2 at the weekend, however, with Sigurdsson offering little from open play and reliant on a corner, a free-kick and penalty for his three attacking returns against Blackpool – not that FPL managers care a jot where their goals and assists come from.

The Toffees’ five midfield assets at £5.5m-£6.0m were equally underwhelming in 2019/20, so there’ll be few takers from that quintet despite the decent opening run of games.

FPL managers may be leaving West Ham assets well alone until the fixture swing in Gameweek 9 but Jarrod Bowen (£6.5m) is the stand-out name from the Hammers’ seven-strong group of mid-price midfielders, having made a big impression since his move from Hull City.

The winger was an ever-present starter from Gameweek 28 onwards, setting up four goals in the post-lockdown era alone.

Pablo Fornals (£6.5m) also made the starting XI in every game from this point but was less eye-catching and David Moyes has a wealth of attacking midfield options waiting in the wings, including Manuel Lanzini (£6.5m), Robert Snodgrass (£6.0m), Andriy Yarmolenko (£6.0m) and returning loanee Grady Diangana (£5.5m).

Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.5m) is the highest-owned FPL midfielder under £6.0m at the time of writing, although his eye-catching displays haven’t always been converted into FPL points during his time on Tyneside.

His minutes-per-xGI figure was the best of Newcastle United’s midfielders last season but that average paled in comparison to many other assets in his Fantasy position and the lack of a clinical striker up top for the Magpies sometimes meant his fine work out wide went unrewarded.

The change to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 in March seemed to remove the shackles from Steve Bruce’s side, with five of Saint-Maximin’s eight attacking returns in 2019/20 arriving in the final ten Gameweeks.

Jonjo Shelvey (£5.5m) is an interesting alternative at this price point: the deep-lying playmaker had the best points-per-match average (4.0) of any sub-£6.0m midfielder in this article bar the reclassified Lundstram and Ritchie, with his involvement at free-kicks and corners integral to his returns.



Best players by position:

1,159 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Andy'81
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Apparently Dwight Gayle's having a scan on a hyper extended knee, I still fancy him to be NUFC's best striker so yeah, role on the start of the season.

    1. Ole.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      I wanted to get him. Shame about the injury. Teetotal, keeps his head down. He was dating a friend of a friend.

      1. Andy'81
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        He was great for us in the Championship but it sadly hasn't transitioned into EPL production, injuries have persisted with him unfortunately. {I wouldn't recommend taking a NUFC forward}.

        1. Ser Davos
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Echoes of Danny Ings a year ago...

  2. asquishypotato
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    I’m getting drawn towards Ali over Son recently as it would require me to butcher my team to scrape the extra.

    If Ali is injury free, he is potentially higher up the pitch, and not hugging the sideline like Son does, plus with Kane dropping deep at every opportunity, Ali overlapping is very tempting.

    Anyone else going down this rabbit hole?

    1. chilli con kone
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Alli will have managed minutes to protect his cheese string hamstrings. Mourinho has hinted that myself in the past

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Nope. Son is more nailed on with better history. Just gonna go with him.

    3. Kindness
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Could be good, if he shows fitness go for it

      • Guba
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        That's a decision that you'll almost definitely kick yourself for later.

      • Le Bluff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Love Alli as a pick. His stats are always great and he takes up brilliant positions during games - sometimes even higher up the pitch than Kane. Spurs seem to have a lot of options now in those forward roles though and he seems to be suspect to a bit of rotation, which puts me off.

    4. RichieW
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      How's this looking, will switch Salah & Son > KDB & Fernandes for GW3

      Ryan
      TAA James KWP
      Salah Son Saint-Maximin Soucek
      Werner Kane Ings

      Button Vinagre 4.5 4.0

      1. chilli con kone
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        The forward line is beautiful. James has to go though Azpi will play RB with Chillwell coming in

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

          This. I don't like Soucek starting in a team either rather have another defender.

      2. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        If you're planning Salah + Son out in GW3 why not start with Auba instead of Salah?

        1. Carlton P
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          This

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

        Changed a bit, thanks for advice

        ryan
        taa SALIBA EGAN kwp
        AUBA son maximin
        werner kane ings

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

      Which option from week 2- dictates how I would set up week1?

      Aubameyang to KDB week 3

      A Greenwood Martial
      B Bruno 4.5 forward

      Salah Aubameyang ***** ASM Soucek
      Werner Mitrovic *****

      1. Buck The Trent
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        B

    6. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Harrison at 5.5 is the best Leeds attacker right? Klich has pens but that's all really.

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Yes. Harrison for me.

    7. vova
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Anyone worried about TAA not starting yesterday? Will he miss the first GW?

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        He's in England squad, so assume he's OK atm.

        1. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          + Liverpool Echo said he's fine for Community Shield.

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

      why are people that post Messi stats always so serious/sensitive? very strange phenomenon

      1. FPL Forward Thinker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Excuse me. They are not. We are not, How dare you?

        LOL 😉

    9. Will J 256
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Hi Guys. Thoughts on this draft?
      McCarthy
      Trent, Vinagre, Justin
      Salah, Son, Auba, Ziyech, ASM,
      Werner, Mitrovic

      Steer, Mitchell, Ferguson, Brewster

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

        I'd say that's probably the exact template right now, so yeah I'd say it's looking nice. Obviously monitor Vinagre if the AMN transfer happens.

    10. FPL Forward Thinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Which is easier on the eye?

      Ryan
      TAA - Robbo - KT - Aurier
      PEA - Son - Mane - Pereira
      Mitro - Antonio

      Bamford - Rice - B'waite - Button

      or

      Ryan
      3 x 4.5
      PEA - Son - Mane - Salah - Ziyech
      Mitro - Antonio

      Brewster - Mitchell - B'waite - Button

      To Salah or not to Salah

      I think TAA & Robbo with one 12m LPL mid looks better.

    11. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      saurez leaving barca is not being mentioned,he was brilliant in pl before and id love to see him again,back to liverpool an option?? looks a natural to me replacing firmino ,12m mid ??yes please

      1. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        He is absolutely finished.

        1. Moxon
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          He absolutely finishes the ball.

        2. Jordan.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          disagree ,33, couple of years left yet,age is not a question so much i dont think nowadays,33 is the new 31...look at anderson in the cricket and ill just throw in brady and rodgers in the nfl

          1. goriuanx
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            He has the technical quality but has lost pretty much all his pace. I highly doubt he'll be getting a top move to the PL. A league where pace is probably the number 1 key to be a success.

          2. OverTinker
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Anderson is one of a kind.

          3. AuFeld
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            It's highly unlikely FSG will sign a 33-year-old to replace a 28-year-old forward. Anomalies are not the norm.

      2. Party time
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Apparently everyone is leaving Barca

          1. FPL Forward Thinker
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Including Koeman LOL

            1. Party time
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Lol

          2. Siva Mohan
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            he is on £405,000 per week with 1 year to go.. would he lower his wage demands?

            1. Jordan.
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              im no pool fan ,and hes already got 50 million,but i bet the kop would love him back there ,give him 20m a year no problem theyll get that back in shirt sales easy worldwide

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

                FSG and Nike are two different companies.

              2. The Ejiptian King
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                They won't even pay 20 quid for Thiago who just won the CL, not gonna happen.

            2. AuFeld
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Lol. Almost double of Salah's weekly wage.

          3. FOO FIGHTER
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            No thanks, his knees are buggered.

        • Arron Wan Bissaka Nil
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Salah, De Bruyne, Ziyech, ___, Bissouma
          Jimenez, Mitrovic, ___

          A) Bruno and Brewster
          B) Greenwood and Ings/Werner

          1. Andy Mac
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            B

        • kime67
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          I was really thinking Ferguson could do the wan bissaka but this just makes things even harder now.

          1. KujaliaFC
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Mitchell could be a left sided Obiwan?

          2. Camzy
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Don't think it matters. My 4.0 defender doesn't have to play.

          3. kime67
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            it certainly helps if you can start a 4m defender every now and then but now its gone

          4. Letsgo!
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Why gone?

          5. kalshot
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            He's Injured

        • Muller Reus Corner
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Can I have some feedback on my draft please?
          McCarthy, Nyland
          TAA, Doherty, Dier, Justin, Taylor
          Salah, Auba, Son, ASM, Soucek
          Werner, Mitrovic, Brewster

          I have 0.5 ITB to get Rashford in for Son.

          1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Looks brill

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

            You could also easily get another 1m from your bench to afford Son to Bruno. Seems relatively quite an expensive bench. Nice team regardless.

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

              Oh for some reason I misread Brewster as Bamford, less expensive bench than I thought.

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

            Nearly same as mine, so its great.. Lol, hoping Brewster gets a loan move to a premeir league club....

        • rozzo
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Is going without Salah suicide?

          Mccarthy Nyland
          TAA VVD Saliba Vinagre Ferguson
          Auba Son Fernandes Ziyech Soucek
          Werner Mitrovic Davis

          Bench Bruno, play 442 first week, obviously change around the defence if it looks like they won't play

          1. Ser Davos
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            You could try Mane?

            And they're placeholders for the Manc mids

            1. Camzy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              If you're gonna get Mane might as well get Salah...

          2. Camzy
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            No. It looks extremely similar to my team right now.

            Doherty + Dier over VvD + Saliba/Vinagre is what I have.

          3. Goonsquad245
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Not advisable, but I don’t mind your team

        • linkafu
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Ritchie or ASM?

          1. Miguel Sanchez
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            ASM

        • FOO FIGHTER
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Chelsea having a massive window and are not done yet.

          If they can get a quality GK then I may very well triple up with a def, mid and fwd.

          They will have a beast of a team.

          1. Miguel Sanchez
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Apparently they can’t find any takers for Kepa and Marina has asked Lampard to give him one last chance.

            Frustrating when Butland and Foster both available for no more than £10m

            1. Kindness
                3 years, 7 months ago

                I don't think any Chelsea fan would be happy with Foster or Butland

                1. Miguel Sanchez
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  They would be stopgap solutions and anything would be better than Kepa when you see his save % record and xGC records.

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

                    Personally I'd rather give Kepa another go and then have Willy as the alternative if no improvement then spend £10m on a 1 season solution. Kepa will probably get more offers next year assuming the market improves no need to tank him further. All adds up for future transfers.

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

                      Obviously the best option is to get a permanent keeper for the future but depends if Chelsea still have sufficient funds.

              • FOO FIGHTER
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                I reckon there is a very good chance a new GK will arrive for them. They had the transfer ban so they have the abilty to go big now.

          2. TMF86
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Is it mental to consider 4-5-1 as an option this year?

            1. BNMC
              • 4 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              It could be worse, I’m on a 532

            2. FPL Forward Thinker
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Nope. Arguably better value for 5m - 7.5m Defenders than the 5m-7.5m Forwards.

              1. TMF86
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                This is my logic. Sounds big money for a defender, but the options in the price bracket for a forward aren't great.

                1. Ser Davos
                  • 8 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  I think Doherty and VVD have only got to get a couple of clean sheets in the early weeks and they'll be doing their jobs.

                  Picking the forwards are torture. I can see the appeal with Mitro, but I think it's either ignore or set and forget with him. The likes of Doherty and VVD are long term investments

            3. Party time
                3 years, 7 months ago

                No. It isn’t imo

            4. Champ
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Anyone considering two 4.0 defenders for the first couple of weeks to free funds?

              1. FPL Forward Thinker
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Ye. B'waite & Mitchell

              2. Birds of Prey
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Ferguson and branewaite. Then got a hold of
                My senses

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

                Nope. I want 4 playing defenders at least.

              4. WVA
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                None look likely to play so no

              5. The Knights Template
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Bad idea

              6. Guba
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                If it appears one of them is definitely playing I'd definitely consider two if I was playing 3 at the back. Personally I'm looking to play 4 defenders so it's a no go for me.

            5. Flair
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Can't deny a Zaha - Ayew - Eze front three in a 4-3-3 would appeal to me greatly, dangerous wingers are my weakness. if Eze is 5.5 I will have him from the start over Armstrong for sure.

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

                wouldn't really call him a 'winger' per se, but that's nitpicking, could be decent

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

                  Then what type of player is he? Don't know much about him but I assume he was those wonderkid dangerous dribbler cuts in goes wide types

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

                    yeah you're basically right, kinda more of a 'number 10' great dribbler but great vision also - Ryan Fraser and Zaha are wingers, Eze is different - hard to explain but like I said I was nitpicking, he made Loftus Road much more exciting

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

                      if they get Fraser too then Eze could be the 10 in a 4231 easily, probably his best position

              2. Ask Yourself
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Would be a pretty fluid front 3 at that. Shame Hodgson is their manager

              3. Guba
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Looking at fixtures seems easier to start with Armstrong who has good first 4 unlike CPL and then transfer later when CPL fixtures improve GW5 onwards.

            6. WVA
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              GW1 team sorted with 1.5 ITB to get Bruno GW2? Taylor on bench to rotate.

              Ryan
              TAA Doherty KWP
              Salah Auba Son ASM Soucek
              Werner Mitrovic
              Button Stephens Ferguson Taylor

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

                Stephens will be Davis/Brewster

              2. Gomolon
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                If you downgraded Salah or Auba to Bruno, you would have 3m to upgrade either ASM/Soucek - just a thought. Would hate if I had transfer planned and missed the 0.1m price rise so early on in the season

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

                  I won't miss it!

              3. Pedersen
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Are you trying to copy mine??
                I would choose McCarthy over Ryan. I am not sure on Son, so i got Ziyech instead. I know i wont keep Son, but might keep Ziyech potentially wasting one transfer less. I have used the money saved to upgrade mitrovic to jimenez

                McCarthy
                TAA Doherty KWP
                Salah Auba Ziyech Soucek
                Werner Jimenez
                Nyland Davis Ferguson Taylor

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

                  Double defence doesn't appeal let alone saint's and I'm a fan! Son is definitely better than Ziyech but I plan to transfer Son to Bruno after GW1 and have funds ITB to do it for free. What's your plan for United and City? KDB and Bruno likely to highest scorers this season. Mitro is fantastic value at that price with those fixtures.

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

                    No way is Son "definitely" better than Ziyech lmao

                  2. Pedersen
                    • 5 Years
                    3 years, 7 months ago

                    Son plays a new role under mourinho. Way more out at the side. I reckon his goal involvement will go down.
                    I am aware of double defense. But then again, KWP will be benched some games, and should outperform alternatives the others. I dont care for doubling up if i get more points by the end of the day.
                    Auba is going out for sure. That will be kdb or Bruno. Not sure with Salah yet, but the other transfer might be him. Ziyech might be Greenwood or Foden depending on the first few gw.
                    I dont like Mitrovic. I beleive Fulham will be pushed back leaving only scraps for Mitrovic. I might be mistaken, but can always downgrade one striker to get him.

                    I like the 2 striker option. Both should get 200+ points, which should land them in top 10 most scoring players. Martial is candidate too, and using 2 simularly riced striker allows for quick change

            7. Blue&White85
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Thoughts on this? Tempted to have a couple of players I’d want in subsequent weeks on my bench and just deal with having a 4.5 midfielder play once.

              Ryan
              TAA Docherty Dier KWP
              Aubameyang Salah ASM McCarthy
              Werner Jimenez

              Subs: Nyland, Greenwood, C. Taylor, Davis

            8. Letsgo!
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Mccarthy
              Taa justin vinagre
              Maddison salah auba son asm
              Mitro werner

              Subs:nyland egan kwp davis

              Gtg? Or is justin vinagre not going to start?

              Initially i have ferguson but hes injured now?

            9. Ludde
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Very template todays draft. What do you guys think?
              Ryan Nyland
              TAA Doherty Vinaigre Justin KWP
              Auba Salah Son ASM 4.5
              Werner Mitro 4.5

              1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Very template

              2. Botman
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                may as well go button as second choice keeper

              3. LangerznMash
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                KWP + 4.5 > 4.0 + Soucek = template

            10. OFord
              • 4 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Shame about Nathan Ferguson, hopefully he becomes an option at 4.0m eventually

              1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Yeah, the search for the new Lund/AWB continues.

            11. Malinwa
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              How's this looking, will switch Salah & Son > KDB & Fernandes for GW3

              McCarthy (Steer)
              VVD - Aurier - TAA - Vinagre (Justin)
              Auba - Ziyech - Son - Soucek (ASM)
              Werner - Jiménez (Brewster)

              1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Vinegar/Justin might not be all you hoped. Rest seems decent.

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

                Looks good, I'm doing that with KDB and Fernandes too. Interesting that you've went with two Liverpool defenders over Salah, He's such a good captain to have because he can be so explosive but also very expensive obviously so I see the merit in it.

              3. KAVALIER KEN
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                I don’t see Salah in your 15 !?

            12. tim_oriordan
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Thoughts on this squad? I'd really appreciate any feedback.

              McCarthy - Nyland
              Arnold - Saliba - Vinagre - Taylor - Ferguson
              Salah - Aubameyang - Son - Ziyech - Bissouma
              Werner - Mitrovic - Brewster

              I have 1.0m in the back which I intend to use in gameweek 3 to take out Aubameyang and Son for De Bruyne and Fernandes. Brewster is in because I'm assuming he'll be loaned to another premier league team, if it looks like he won't be I'll take him out.

              1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                I like that, but danger you will only have 2 man defence in Week 1

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

                  Why what's happened with Saliba and Vinagre?

                  1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                    • 6 Years
                    3 years, 7 months ago

                    Saliba - played yesterday but don't know if that means he's a starter
                    Vinagre - AMN
                    Taylor - Blank
                    Ferguson - Doesn't look to be in Palace first XI

                    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                      • 6 Years
                      3 years, 7 months ago

                      So could be 1 and even Trent isn't fully fit so maybe none

            13. Ser Davos
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Little detail alert:

              Steer covers McCarthy GW5

              1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Good spot

              2. AuFeld
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Heaton due back by then 🙁

                1. Ser Davos
                  • 8 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  Of course ha

              3. Gomolon
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                You don't think Nyland will start instead?

            14. Ser Davos
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Brewster could be this year's Lundstram

              1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Imagine if he starts (and G-d forbid scores) in Week 1

                1. Ser Davos
                  • 8 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  Would he go straight in? Not sure given 5 FWDs SHU have got

              2. AuFeld
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                I'm counting on it. Otherwise, my bench looks as soft as baby 5h!t.

            15. goriuanx
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Fredericks injured, Johnson 4m bandwagon

              1. Ask Yourself
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Thought so. I hope we’d sign someone instead of having a whole position with only youth players available though

              2. Botman
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                source?

                1. goriuanx
                  • 13 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  Premierinjuries

                  1. Botman
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 10 Years
                    3 years, 7 months ago

                    cheers

              3. Chandler Bing
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                How long is he out for? I only need a 4.0M player for GW1 so I can bench Greenwood.

                1. goriuanx
                  • 13 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  Status 25%

              4. Fpl Richie
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                I think he's the most sensible fodder pick right now. No Ngakia or Zabaleta to compete with either. Plus covers either side of WH defence.
                Upside: Decent fixture GW1 Downside: You'll almost never want to play him.

              5. Ser Davos
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                FPL takes with one hand, gives with another

            16. 2OLEgend
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Son & Werner vs. Salah & Mitro?

              1. Fulchester's New Centr…
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                B slightly more conservative choice

                1. 2OLEgend
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 7 months ago

                  Thanks FNCF.
                  What do you think of Davis (4.5) & Salah & Doherty vs. Werner & Son & Saiss?