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The best hidden gems to consider for your FPL Draft team this season

The key to success in any draft version of Fantasy Football is to find some reliable options outside the thinking of your rivals.

One of the main differences to appreciate between this edition of the game and the standard Fantasy Premier League affair is that you are looking, ideally, to acquire a team of season-keepers at the draft or auction. You simply do not have the luxury of assuming that all players remain at your permanent disposal to jump from one bandwagon to another and/or play the fixtures. 

That isn’t to say that you can’t do the latter, but it’s a strategy that will leave you at the mercy of other managers. Remember that a dropped player can very quickly find their way into one of your opponents’ teams, with no means of prising them back.

Once you have understood the fundamental nature of FPL Draft, or its auction-based counterpart Fantasy League (FL), it makes planning a great deal easier. In FPL, you can always adopt a ‘wait and see’ strategy, in the knowledge that the worst outcome is that you miss out on one big haul and have to pay marginally more to bring a player in.

FPL Draft and FL are all about identifying those hidden gems (or not so hidden, given that I see FPL people talking about ‘waiting and seeing’ with the likes of Werner and Havertz!) and putting your instincts on the line at the outset. 

So who are my own ‘under the radar’ players (relatively-speaking) whom I think will produce over the full season? I have identified three players from each positional category barring goalkeepers as, given the vast differences between scoring for goalkeepers in FL and FPL, as identified in my article last season.

How Liverpool's defensive assets compare after their FPL price changes

The defender category is, generally speaking, the hardest place to find hidden gems ahead of a new season as it’s rare that an Andrew Robertson or Trent Alexander-Arnold will appear almost out of nowhere. Very often it is about finding the teams which no one expected to keep clean sheets but which are suddenly more watertight than before. 

For example, during last summer’s FFS FL auction, we all laughed at Neale (SkontoRigga) when he picked up Jack O’Connell from newly-promoted Sheffield United. Did he not realise that the Blades were set to be Premier League whipping boys? Well, we all know what happened next and it is to Neale’s immense credit that he didn’t rub our noses in it every single week. 

So who do I think will be this season’s surprise defensive packages? While in past seasons there would have been nothing revolutionary about saying Spurs and Manchester United, a quick look at their defensive records last season will reveal that Spurs had a season-long shocker and even though United managed 13 clean sheets in total, only three of them came in the first half of the season. 

However, this is going to be Mourinho’s first full season at Spurs and I would expect him to tighten up at the back considerably, and with United, I suspect that attack will continue to be the best form of defence and, provided they continue their post-lockdown form, we should see a lot more consistent clean sheets from them.  

Eric Dier/Toby Alderweireld

Can we trust Spurs' FPL defenders with appealing fixtures this season?

The Spurs centre-back pairing of Alderweireld and Dier is pretty tempting and very much overlooked judging by 2.4% and 1.4% ownership respectively in FPL. 

Yes, I know that Doherty, Aurier and Ben Davies are the more obvious choices but this is about finding players that others aren’t likely to want in FL or Draft FPL, meaning that you get them on the cheap or late in the draft without having to waste an early-round pick. 

Alderweireld, in particular, is a decent goal threat from set-pieces and no Spurs player had more headed attempts than him last season; in fact, he had almost double the next best (Moura, and not Kane, surprisingly).

Luke Shaw

Similar to Spurs, United’s first choice centre-backs are not well-owned, indicating that they could also be cheap/late acquisitions, but it’s Luke Shaw that could be the forgotten gem here (1.2% ownership in FPL). 

Don’t forget that he missed a large chunk of last season with injury but, fully fit and on song, he’s a significant attacking threat with his love of getting forward and putting in crosses. 

Expect him, if he stays fit, to surpass by a good margin his 67 and 18 points in FPL and FL respectively from 2019/20.

Bruno Fernandes

Unchanged line-ups for Man United and Southampton as  FPL bosses eye Fernandes

Now I appreciate that there’s nothing innovative or hidden about Bruno Fernandes, at least not since he landed on these shores in January and set the Premier League alight with his incredible skills. 

I’m not a Manchester United fan but he was an absolute delight to watch and, more importantly in the context of Fantasy Football, a genuine points machine. 

Aggregated up to a full season, he would have been the top scorer in both FL and FPL. It’s for that reason that he is my number one pick out of all players in any position for the new season and I would be more than willing to forgo Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Raheem Sterling in my draft pick to get him. 

Of course, in FL, you could probably get at least four out of the five but it would leave you with seriously depleted funds and the rest of your squad may not look too clever, but you could certainly look forward to watching Liverpool, City, United, Arsenal playing every week.

Jarrod Bowen

Bowen is the next of my January midfield signings and whilst, coincidentally, it is interesting to note a general theme I have observed over many years of playing Fantasy Football that the psychology of numbers means that a lot of managers only look at the absolute figure rather than considering their context. 

What I mean by that, per my Bruno example, is that the season-long figure may not have come from a full season and, all points were acquired over the space of less than half a season. 

However, some people in your draft or auction mini-league will only look at the total points and disregard the lower-scoring players. 

I appreciate that for the majority, if not all, of those reading this article, I’m largely preaching to the converted, but it explains why these players can often be picked up on the cheap in FL, or acquired quite late into an FPL draft.

Last season in FPL, Bowen scored a measly 44 points and just 11 in FL, but a quick look at the underlying statistics tell you the whole story. 

The former Hull City man had a minutes per expected goal involvement (xGI) figure of 186 (courtesy of the FFS Premium Members’ Area), which is the same territory as Phil Foden, Willian and Harvey Barnes. 

Unlike the latter two, he didn’t have the benefit of playing a full season in a familiar league but, before signing with West Ham, he’d already scored 16 goals in 29 appearances for Hull in the Championship. 

Bowen is no slouch and his pre-season form suggests that he could be about to replicate his Hull City form for West Ham. 

I keep reading that the Hammers don’t score many goals yet they were 10th best in the league in that department last season (and only three goals behind eighth-placed Wolves) and I need only remind you of Michail Antonio’s form during last season’s run-in to show you what a West Ham player is capable of doing. As a result of that form, a lot of the attention will be on the forward this season, but Bowen could quietly tick along too.

Takumi Minamino

Minamino is my cheeky punt to emerge from the Anfield woodwork and take the Premier League by storm this season. 

Liverpool haven’t changed formation since Coutinho left, with Klopp sticking rigidly to his preferred 4-3-3, but I wouldn’t be overly surprised if that becomes more of a 4-2-1-3 or 4-2-3-1, with Minamino sitting either in the middle or on the flanks (considering we know Salah, Mané and Firmino can all play number 10 or centre-forward).

He took time to find his feet but a January signing rarely hits the ground running (I can think of very few examples over the years, with Bruno being far more the exception than the rule), and a goal in the Community Shield.

He followed that up with a standout performance against Blackpool in last week’s pre-season friendly, suggesting he is ready to show the league why Liverpool bought him in from FC Salzburg. 

I also don’t want to tempt fate for Liverpool fans, nor wish injury on any player, but Liverpool have been incredibly lucky with no long-term absences to any of their front three in recent seasons, and surely the law of averages suggests that one of them is going to face some time out at some point. More so than Origi, I can see Minamino coming in to replace any one of them should the need arise.

Neal Maupay

I can see the supply to Brighton’s forwards being much improved this coming season and Maupay, as the first-choice striker, should be the principal beneficiary of this. 

Adam Lallana is the sort of player that will stand out at Brighton, as he did at Southampton, and Leandro Trossard having had a full season under his belt, should be another source of assists for Maupay. 

Last season, the former Brentford man underperformed on his expected goals (xG) by more than three (he scored 10 in total) and so I would see his xG both increasing and a reduction in the delta between xG and actual goals resulting in more points this time out.

Che Adams

A season in the shadow of Danny Ings has meant that it’s easy to forget that Adams started last season as Southampton’s first-choice striker after his move from Birmingham City where, in the 18/19 season, he scored 22 Championship goals. 

It took him a while to find his feet and losing his place to Ings won’t have helped his confidence or adjustment to the new league. 

However, he ended the season in a good run of form and while just four goals (against an xG of just over five goals) is hardly something about which to get overly excited, I think he could be one of the league’s surprise packages this season. Do I expect him to surpass Ings? No, but then I’d expect to pay a fraction of what Ings will cost (and represent better value for money) or get him later in a draft.

Jay Rodriguez

I fully expect Rodriguez to start this season as one of the two first-choice strikers for Burnley, even when Ashley Barnes returns from injury. 

In my mind, Wood and Barnes are so similar that it makes little sense to play them both as a matter of course when there’s a striker with the guile of Rodriguez who can give them something different. 

He only scored eight Premier League goals last season but 16 of his 36 appearances were from the subs bench. This is my one pick which is fewer stats based and more gut instinct but Rodriguez is a player I’ve always liked and, if I can find the room, would want in my team this coming season.

Best players by position:

Clouseau Serious (for which you can read \'stressy\') fantasy football fan. Have been playing the auction-based version with its unique squads (fantasyleague.com) for over 20 years but more recently branched out into FPL. Follow me on Twitter @FFSClouseau

813 Comments Post a Comment
  1. InterUranus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Hi everyone

    1. Fuddled FC
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Not the most incisive 1st post I've seen 😉

      1. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Better than another RMT

    2. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Hi there

    3. Vazza
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Which combo is better -

      A. Alli, DCL, Werner
      B. James Rodriguez, Ings, Jimenez

  2. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Hello all, who do you consider to be the two best 5.0 defenders?

    1. Kimmich
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Egan / Dier.

      Bellerin if he stays at Arsenal.

    2. zdrojo187
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Looks like David Luiz is out for up to 6 weeks...
      You have Saliba(4.5) or Holding(4.5)

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

      Saiss/Davies

    4. antis0cial
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Davies/Egan

    5. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Thanks all

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

    Johnstone (Button)
    TAA - Dier - Justin (KWP - Ayling)
    Salah - Auba - Alli - James - Armstrong
    Werner - Wilson (Brewster)

    Too early for James and Wilson? I do have KWP and Ayling who are starters to cover in a worst case.

    1. Fuddled FC
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Not too early for Wilson as he's proven in the premiership..

      1. Kimmich
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Sorry I meant in fitness terms, hopeful he’ll start anyway

    2. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I like it.

  4. Fuddled FC
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Which option?

    a) ASM & Mitro
    b) Soucek & Wilson
    c) ASM & J. Rod (bench 1st game)

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B personally.

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B

    3. Raheem S. Archer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A

    4. 2OLEgend
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A

  5. Where dahoud at
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    How's this looking? Pretty set on this team now, starting with alli then gameweek 2 guna take him out for greenwood, unless united have sancho by then, then gameweek 3 Abumayang will be replaced by kdb,

    Mccarthy
    Kwp, taa, egan
    Alli, Salah(vc), Abumayang(c) asm
    Mitrovic, ings, werner

    Bench, nyland, Vinagre, Gordon, Douglas

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Arise, Sir In Ole We Trust!

      1. Where dahoud at
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Take it that's good

        1. The Knights Template
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Of course, you have just been knighted!

          1. Where dahoud at
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Haha

  6. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Ollie Watkins had Aston Villa medical last night & is completing move from #BrentfordFC this morning. After missing Wilson #AVFC had to pounce. Tottenham strong contenders but finance + speed decisive. Details on Josh King too #MUFC #THFC
    @TheAthleticUK

    1. thepeen555
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah he could be a good pick

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

    Cheap and valuable?

    Def: Kwp
    Mid : Soucek, Bowen,
    Fwd : Adams, Wilson

    1. Dele
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Zero points from the lot of them

  8. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Everton lineup should be this:

    Rich - DCL - Rodriguez
    Gomes - Allan - Doucoure
    Digne - Keane - Holgate/Mina - Coleman
    Pickford

    Much better than last season, that's for sure. Great early fixtures too...

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Want to see runs on the board first. Have come unstuck with toffees before. Only like Baines and Timmy.

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Fair enough.

  9. owenread
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    thoughts guys?

    McCarthy (Nyland)
    TAA, KWP, Davies, Doherty (Mitchell)
    Auba, Salah, ASM (Bissouma, Anguissa)
    Kane, Werner, Mitrovic

    1. Dele
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Like it

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Arise, Sir OwenRead!

  10. LIARS POKER
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Wilson likely to start GW1?

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

      our only other option is Carroll as Gayle is injured and Joelinton isn't trusted as a number 9, so I'd say more than likely yes

    2. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah don’t see why not

  11. Vazza
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Which combo is better :-

    A. Alli, DCL, Werner
    B. James Rodriguez, Ings, Jimenez

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A marginally

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A

  12. Atimis
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    What do you think about that team ??

    Ryan
    TAA/Davies/Egan/KWP
    Auba/Salah/Son/Saka
    Werner/Ings

    Nyland/Brewster/Stephens/Mitchell

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      i like it alot

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Hail Sir Atimis, well met!

    3. AD105
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah really nice, similar to mine, 0.5 ITB for Ings to Martial too

  13. kennethrhcp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    1 week only punt, 5mil player

    a. noble (NEW)
    b: ceballos (ful)

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

      soucek might be ok to start, wait for more news but given Newcastle conceded a lot of headed goals, we would be the best 5m punt

      1. kennethrhcp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        I dunno if it's just me but prefer to Noble to Soucek, chance of a pen maybe

        thanks for reply!

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A and hope for a pen

      1. kennethrhcp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        that was my thoughts aswell

  14. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Alexis Mac Allister is the most culturally confusing name I've ever seen.

    I heard he's been recalled from his loan in Argentina. Any chance this guy starts for Brighton? How good is he?

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Two appearances for Argentina...

    2. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      i'm struggling to figure how brighton will line up, with Lallana added, MacAllister more settled and Trossard showing form post restart, there could be some gems in there. To me, its points toward Maupay, who surely with will get better service and Murray now isnt on the scene

    3. The Ejiptian King
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Wasn't he recalled in January? Did you hear this by carrier pigeon?

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        2 day old podcast by TIFO
        https://youtu.be/eZVZrhwoPzg

        They could use carrier pigeons, I don't know.

  15. Tempestic
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Any love for a gw1 Antonio punt?

    1. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      would switch to Martial gw2

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Prefer Ings.

  16. owenread
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    davies or dier?

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      probably the most asked question on here... many going Dier as they think he's more guaranteed starter

  17. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Sounds like Jonjoe Kenny impressed for Everton. Potential 4.5m Everton right-back...
    https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-analysis-kenny-ancelotti-tyrer-18885924

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Coleman is Captain

      1. kennethrhcp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Irish captain aswell & Doherty started ahead of him last week

    2. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      i'm very interested, coleman didnt look great last season, one to keep an eye on

    3. Whats the Mata?
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I too think Kenny might just get the rb spot, however, its a risk to start with him because the last thing you'd want is having to spend transfers on your 4.5m defenders especially as most of us will anyway have a 4.0m def as well.

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Aye, one to monitor then, but not to start with.

    4. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      no quotes in there from anyone, I could have written that

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        There is some useful data in there.

        He scored, he had to fill in for CB etc. And even though an eye witness account is unreliable, it still has a weighting, however small. It's all information. Something Magnus Carlsen says: "Get as much data as you can".

  18. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Luis potentially out with neck injury makes Saliba even more likely to start

    1. FF Dirtbag
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah maybe but a transfer waiting to happen...

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

        Depending on how well he plays

        1. FF Dirtbag
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Nah Luiz seems to be the man, he can have as many mistakes as he wants and he still gets played.

          1. SADIO SANÉ
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            please stop the Luiz slander, he's class in the middle of a 3

          2. MrZ
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Krusty the clown can play whenever he wants

          3. Qaiss
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Yeah, he is the man. But if we're playing 3 at the back Saliba can play in the right side of it.

            1. MrZ
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 6 months ago

              You should get arteta's permission to play him..

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

                Our Van Dijk 🙂

    2. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Luiz

    3. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Gabriel says hi

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

        Has only trained for a few days, hasn't played any matches

        1. Miguel Sanchez
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Who starts in goal you think now?

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

            It's close, but see what is said about Martinez or if he's maybe going to be sold. Wants to leave if he's not number 1. He did start the Community shield game and has not done anything wrong to be dropped. I currently have him in my team but I'm waiting to see what happens by Saturday.

  19. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Thoughts?

    Johnstone
    TAA Robbo Justin KwP
    Salah Son Pulisic
    Jimenez Richarlison Nketiah

    Button Bissouma Greenwood Taylor

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Only concern would be Nketiah's regular minutes.

      1. Visionaries
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        He has Greenwood on the bench

        1. moz_1983
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Point.

      2. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Two week punt to monitor other 6.0/6.5 fwds. Also no Auba so "cover". Too punty?

  20. The-Red-1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Ings (with option to upgrade to Martial) and a 4.5 defender

    Or Adams and Robbo?

    1. FF Dirtbag
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Picking the right 4.5 I think the first option is best.

  21. ResultatFar
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Anybody considering Saka as 4th mid?

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Not nailed

    2. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I am, i know he isnt nailed but think i will take the risk given the fixtures

    3. Better Call Raul
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yes, one of the first names on Arteta's team sheet imo

    4. Betarna
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      He is my 4th!

    5. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mad not to

  22. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    How will Leicester line up?

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Tallest to shortest

    2. thepeen555
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      11 on the pitch

  23. Mighty Banana
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Not sure if I'm being blind here, but is there a way to filter the season ticker by GW? Such as from GW8 onwards?

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I would have thought that would be a membership perk, not sure though.

    2. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      yeah, membership does that

    3. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Dont think there ever has been. you can add weeks to the end but not remove weeks from the start (if that makes sense)

    4. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Not in the sidebar, you have to go to season ticker in the members area. There you can start it from whatever week you like

      1. kennethrhcp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        I've for the 1st time just seen the sliding bar... when was that put in? in all my years I've never spotted it

        1. The Sarjeant
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          It’s been there the 7 years I’ve been a member.

          1. kennethrhcp
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            oh jesus... never spotted it!

      2. Mighty Banana
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        ahha!

        Didn't see it hidden down there, odd place to have it. Would think at the top makes sense.

        Thanks you.

  24. moz_1983
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Is this a little too imbalanced?

    McCarthy - Nyland
    TAA - Justin - Taylor - Dallas - Mitchell
    Salah - Auba - Havertz - Soucek - Bissouma
    Kane - Werner - Brewster

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

      Yeah because you probably won't captain Salah if you own all those other big hitters so you should just downgrade him imo.

    2. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I think i prefer Son, Adams and Dier vs your Kane, Soucket and Justin. Slightly balances your squad also

    3. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I usually set up like this at the start because of fixtures, but playing 3 x 4.5 defenders every week will probably yield a load of 1-pointers imo - wouldn't advise

    4. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Ta everyone. Much appreciated.

  25. Drexl Spivey
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Nigh on impossible to predict how Newcastle will shape up now, this weekend - transfers arrived too late.

    Ideally I suppose we'd have ASM up front with Wilson, but that's still subject to debate. Interesting to note, both ASM and Fraser are right-footed, so from an FPL standpoint a 3-4-3 could reap huge rewards for both, long term.

    In the meantime, given the fixtures, an immediate Wilson/ASM double-up looks great value.

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Very hard to sell me on a Newcastle double up after how they played last season. But yeah, it could in theory work.

    2. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      i'm very close to switching Mitro to Wilson. if he looks like he'll start wk1 I will

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        He will start. They don't have anyone else.

        Gayle is injured. Joelinton late return for preseason. Andy Carroll is well... Andy Carroll.

        1. kennethrhcp
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          You leave Andy Carroll alone... was my fav PES centre forward for years 🙂

  26. QUEN
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Some questions

    1. Bruno or rashford?
    Ignoring penalties - I doubt there will be as many this year.

    2. 4.5 defenders

    Best options? I need 3, 2 are locked in (KWP & Ayling), not sure on the 3rd

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Bruno. I think he will get just as many PKs.

      Justin or Saliba.

      1. QUEN
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah on Justin atm but they both a transfer waiting to happen.

        Maybe Taylor but not sure on his security

        Would love Lamptey but again not sure on his security

  27. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Mitrovic or Wilson?

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      wait for pressers

    2. QUEN
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Difficult. Mitro for the start, would see how Wilson fits in

    3. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Likely to start Wilson and he can go to Mitro/Adams etc. if it does not work out.

    4. Betarna
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mitro

    5. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Wilson

  28. Betarna
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Ok! Is this a decent XI to start with?

    McCarthy
    TAA - KWP - Justin
    Salah - Auba - Son - Saka
    Mitrovic - Ings - Werner

    Nyland - Mitchell - Bissouma- Bernardo

    G2G?

    Thanks!

    1. AD105
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      G2G, only thing I’d consider is downgrading Mitro to a 4.5 and upgrading Bernardo and Justin, keeping 0.5 ITB to upgrade Ings to Martial

  29. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    are the stars aligning for Shelvey on penalties? or you think Wilson could nab them?

  30. adstomko
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Solid draft?

    McCarthy
    Trent, Mina, Egan, Saliba
    Auba, Mané, Ziyech, ASM
    Vardy, Ings
    (Button, Buur, Lemina, Brewster)