Pro Pundits

Is now the right time to restructure our FPL teams?

Fantasy Premier League managers could be forgiven for thinking that now is the time to perform extensive surgery on our squads ahead of Gameweek 9.

A big reason for that is recent re-examining of the premium assets we need to own, influenced, of course by the well-documented fixture-swing on the other side of the international break.

We have been talking about how to balance these expensive individuals all season, the strategy of rotating through them quickly a big talking point going all the way back to pre-season.

Fernandes stakes captaincy claim ahead of Gameweek 9 meeting with West Brom

Bruno Fernandez celebrates scoring against Everton in Gameweek 8

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.7m), Mohamad Salah (£12.4m), Harry Kane (£11.0m) Kevin De Bruyne (£11.5m) and Bruno Fernandes (£10.5m) were among those options who managers were considering owning at some point in the campaign.

Starting the season with so many premium options meant that we looked to the likes of Tyrick Mitchell (£4.2m), Nathan Ferguson (£4.0m) Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (£4.5m) Yves Bissouma (£4.5m) and Tomas Souček (£4.9m) to enable budget restrictions.

This strategy often works well at the start of the season. Mostly because we are learning about the teams, who is getting starts, which teams start the season with a bang and which struggle to get going.

The lack of data at the beginning of a campaign means that owning as many tried and tested premiums as possible is often a good decision as it should ensure some points returns while we gather as much data as possible about the rest of the league.

Blank Gameweek 1 also threw FPL managers a curve ball and made safe premium picks an even more attractive option. However, within a few rounds it became clear that some of those budget picks were the right ones to be on, while others caused FPL Managers headaches.

Mitchell retains left-back berth as van Aanholt named among Palace subs again

Tyrick Mitchell in action for Crystal Palace against Southampton’s Kyle Walker Peters

Mitchell started the season with back to back points returns for a clean sheet in Gameweek 1 and an assist in Gameweek 2, however since then he has blanked regularly, got injured and lost his place in the team.

His team-mate Ferguson was highly discussed in the FPL community as being a great way in to the Crystal Palace defence when he recovered from his injury. However, this injury has continued to keep the former West Bromwich Albion out and he is yet to make his first appearance for Palace.

At the same time Max Kilman (£4.3m) is now on the radar with three returns in his five starts for Wolves this season. Indeed, he was unlucky not to keep a clean sheet in Gameweek 8 following a debated penalty for Jamie Vardy (£10.1m) as well as having a good goal-scoring of his own.

The FPL impact of Aït-Nouri's debut on Saïss, Kilman and Podence

Max Kilman celebrates with his Wolves team mates following Rayan Ait-Nouri’s first goal for the club

After eight Gameweeks we now have a clearer understanding of who the cheap enablers are, which premiums are worth investing in and what the best way to distribute the budget across our FPL teams is.

The early part of this season saw very few clean sheets. Although this was roughly aligned with the number of shut-outs we see at the start of every season, the number of goals was disproportionately higher than normal.

We saw some ridiculous score lines, Aston Villa and Liverpool played out a 7-2, Southampton and Spurs as well as Leicester, Everton and West Brom and Man City managed 5-2 results, while Liverpool and Leeds kicked off the new season with a 4-3 thriller.

These score-lines meant that many FPL managers like myself saw very little value in investing in premium defenders. However, the level of goals scored each week is decreasing and the number of clean sheets is rising so is it time to rethink how our FPL teams are structured?

Cheap at the back

Coufal successfully blocks a shot from Sergio Aguero

When the season started many FPL managers looked to find most of their value players in defence. Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) started the campaign as the most-owned defender in the game, largely paired with £4.5m and £4.0m options in our teams.

With 99 goals scored between Gameweeks 1 and 3, combined with only 13 clean sheets in the same period this strategy worked well. The number of goals and the lack of clean sheets meant that using the money to fill the forward spots with better assets seemed a wise strategy.

The cheap defence plus Alexander-Arnold strategy worried me at the start of the season. In all of my other FPL seasons there has been real value in spending on the defence.

All three of the Liverpool’s key Fantasy defenders, alongside the likes of Lucas Digne (£6.1m), Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m), Ben Chilwell (£5.9m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.7m) have, in seasons gone by, proved to be amazing FPL assets who were well worth the investment.

This change in strategy made me uneasy. I always worry about making my team as flexible as possible so that it is easy to move from one player to another as the season progresses and the right assets to won becomes clear.

My concern with starting the year with a mix of £4.5m and £4.0m defenders is that there is very little can go from there without using two transfers and therefore potentially taking a points hit.

Is now the right time for some restructuring? 1

Eric Dier and Harry Kane celebrate the laters goal vs PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in the Europa League for Spurs

As a result, I decided to have Alexander-Arnold, Eric Dier (£4.9m) and then two 4.5m and a 4.0m. Doing this made me feel a little more confident that should there be a defender that I really wanted to move too it would be an easier process to get there.

As the last eight Gameweeks have shown defenders are now starting to be back up to the pace of the game. There have been 17 clean sheets in the last three Gameweeks, in comparison to the 13 for the first three as well as just 68 goals, a massive drop.

This movement towards more clean sheets potential makes this cheap at the back strategy a little outdated. Especially when you couple this with the fact that we now only have one player, Kilman, who started the season at 4.0m who is now regularly starting for his side.

Kurt Zouma celebrates scoring for Chelsea vs Burnley

For me the cheap at the back strategy has had its day. There are so many defenders who at over £5.0m who are keeping clean sheets and registering goals, assists and bonus points that it is worth finding budget to improve some of those 4.5m defenders for the likes of Aaron Cresswell (£5.1m), Ben Chilwell (£5.9m), Kurt Zouma (£5.3m), Hector Bellerín (£5.2m) and Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) all look worthy of FPL investment.

More pressingly, as their returns grow so will their price tags so its worth investing now before they are worth more and thus divert more money away from your premium midfield or forward positions.

The cheap at the back days were fun while they lasted but nows the time to invest more of that FPL budget to enable managers to reap the benefits.

However is it necessary to go all in at the back and invest in multiple premium defenders?

Big at the back

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson celebrate a Liverpool goal

FPL managers have seen success with the double-up on Liverpool defenders. This season, with just one clean sheet, a long-term injury for Virgil van Dijk (£6.3m), and only one assist for Alexander-Arnold and two assists and one goal for Robertson they haven’t been the prolific FPL points returners that we have come to love.

But is there still scope for picking three or four over £5.5m premium defenders? At the start of the season definitely not but in Gameweeks 7 and 8 alone we had Rayan Ait Nouri (£5.0m), Kyle Walker (£6.1m), Zouma, Bellerín, Sergio Regulion (£5.6m), Tariq Lamptey (£4.7m), Stuart Dallas (£4.5m), Patrick Van-Aanolt (£5.4m), Chilwell, and Matt Doherty (£5.8m) all registering an attacking return.

While Lamptey and Dallas fall comfortably in to the cheap bracket, the rest of the defenders registering attacking returns in the last few weeks have been from the premium price tag.

Matt Doherty in action for Spurs vs Everton

Of these options, Doherty, Walker and Aït-Nouri also managed a clean sheet in the same Gameweek as their attacking return resulting in 12, 15 and 15 point hauls respectively. Investing in these defenders who have attacking pedigree at a time when we are starting to see an increase in clean sheets and fewer goals on average in each Gameweek is a wise move.

However there is a balancing act at play here. Owning Alexander-Arnold, Doherty, Walker and Aït-Nouri will cost you £24.3m nearly a quarter of your budget. Even if you add Kilman as a cheap fifth defender option at 4.3 you have still spent £28.6m on your defenders and thus owning multiple in form players such as Salah, Kane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.8m), Fernandes and Vardy becomes virtually impossible.

Defenders can return huge hauls as we have seen from some of them in the last few weeks, but there is also the chance that they concede goals right at the end of matches or give up a contentious penalty and return nothing as we have seen recently with the Crystal Palace, Wolves and Manchester United.

Harry Maguire reacts to Arsenal’s penalty against Manchester United in Gameweek 7

But even their own colleagues can damage their points potential. We saw this in Gameweek 8 where Dier was on track for two bonus points until the Kane goal went in when he slipped out of the top-three for BPS altogether.

It takes a brave FPL manager, especially this season, to invest big at the back. While it can be great, for me there needs to be a balance to ensure that you don’t miss out on the key attacking options due to a huge budget investment at the back.

For me, now is the time to have a core spine throughout the team to ensure the premium assets you want in every part of the pitch.

Core Spine from front to back

Harry Kane, Gareth Bale and Matt Doherty celebrate Spurs win vs Brighton

Every season, FPL managers end up with a core spine of talent in their teams where the budget is spread to form a strong unit that can be played week-in week-out. This core is then supported by enablers.

In a normal campaign this core would, in all likelihood, have been a strategy that more FPL managers have already deployed. However, the Blank Gameweek 1, the often bizarre results we have seen, as well as the aforementioned number of goals and lack of clean sheets means that it has taken longer than normal for me to move to this strategy.

With two free transfers going into Gameweek 8, I decide to drop down to one playing goalkeeper in Alex McCarthy (£4.5m) rather than maintaining my preferred rotating options.

Aaron Cresswell in action for West Ham

Losing my second playing keeper freed me up an additional £4.8m which I could use to upgrade the now injured Mitchell, who was my cheapest defensive option.

Replacing Mitchell with Cresswell ahead of West Ham’s fixture-turn, was the beginning of me investing a little more in the spine of my team.

With Cresswell alongside Alexander-Arnold, as well as three premium midfielders (Son, Sarah and Fernandes) and two more expensive strikers (Kane and Calvert-Lewin), Gameweek 8 was my highest points return of the season so far. Every single member of my squad, apart from Alexander-Arnold returned more than just the two points for playing the match.

Gameweek 9 points curtesy of LiveFPL.net

Ahead of Gameweek 9 finding a way to invest in more over £5.0m assets in my defence feels like a good idea.

Ideally, I would like to upgrade Dallas to one of the Chelsea or Man City defenders, this of course would mean moving some of the budget around.

I will potentially downgrade on Son Heung-min (9.6m) to Hakim Ziyech (8.1m) as the Spurs fixture shift happens, which could be a good option to fund my Chelsea defender upgrade.

Is now the right time for some restructuring? 2

Trent Alexander-Arnold before going off with an injury against Manchester City in Gameweek 8

However, with the only blot of Gameweek 8 being Alexander-Arnold going off with what looked like a calf injury just after the 60 minute mark, there is the option of downgrading him to reinvest the money across the defence.

As a result, I will be watching the price falls carefully and keeping a close ear to the ground for news out of Liverpool on the seriousness of the injury.

If Alexander-Arnold is out, the the move to Chilwell looks the most obvious and then I will reinvest the money upgrading Dallas to one of the Man City defenders, Joao Cancelo (£5.4m) or Walker looking like the best options after their Gameweek 9 fixture against Spurs.

Lessons learnt

While cheap defenders helped us fill our FPL teams with premium midfielders and forwards at the start of the season the last few Gameweeks have shown a change.

Now there is a need to invest budget in your defenders especially in the likes of Chilwell and Cresswell who have the perfect blend of form and fixtures.

Moving to a strategy of investing across the team from front to back may mean that there are some forwards and midfielders who it is impossible to own as a result of budget restrictions.

However, the pull of increased defensive returns, especially from defenders with attacking potential too, should counteract any missed returns from other positions.

It is impossible to own everyone – but it is possible to set your team to return as many potential FPL points as possible by carefully distributing our FPL budget across the field.

Sam FPLFamily <p>Fantasy Football Scout's General Manager. Half of the FPLFamily. Pundit on the FPL Pod, Fantasy Show and Sky Sports News&nbsp;</p> Follow them on Twitter

1,091 Comments Post a Comment
  1. lilmessipran
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Is the title grammatically correct?

    1. AnfieldLad
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Now is not the right time for to correct their grammar

      1. Simon69
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Grammar? It doesn't make sense as an English sentence.

        1. AnfieldLad
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          It’s just missing the word ‘us’

          1. Simon69
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Yeah.

          2. FPL.team
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Or to remove the word 'for'.

    2. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No

    3. Dr. Ante Pavlovic
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      For to restructure to for restructuring for -4

      1. Vazza
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        A bit sideways move that as the title serves it’s purpose regardless

    4. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Also who is Sarah?

      1. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Never mind that, has she got COVID?

    5. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Mundayitis is contagious. Vaccine needed.

      1. RoysCallerAnne
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        You've picked the right time for to call out the dreadful editing.

        1. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Good job they like to recognise the community and read the comments so they learn of the howler and correct it quickly.

          1. Gnu
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Surely someone will point it out to them on Twitter?

    6. PastaFasul
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      The title is definitely not a sentence. Typo?

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

      Just a typo. Chill out.

      1. Gnu
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Your work here is done. 🙂

  2. sully29
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Andy Robertson hamstring injury too. Can't wait to see what Liverpool's defence looks like.

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      targeting Liverpool's defense seems a valid option

    2. Vazza
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Could be an international break injury?

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        You don't get international break injuries while on international break...

        1. Flair
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          *duty

          1. Vazza
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Didn’t Harry Kane pick something up in last IB but was declared fit for the next game

        2. FPL.team
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          I could see it now the important game is done and they've qualified.

          1. Flair
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Then just rest him....

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

            Except this is the Nations League qualifying for the World Cup now, not the Euros

            1. FPL Daniel
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              he just needs rest after qualifying for the euro. same with Pandev for us, he is now back to Genova and not playing today. I think it is mutual consent and kind of a trick.

    3. Party time
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Vardy lurking

    4. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

    5. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Liverpool defenders dropping like flies ... won’t make much difference to the chance of clean sheets for Liverpool though 🙂

    6. Dr. Ante Pavlovic
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Can Justin cover Salah's absence?

      1. Vazza
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Don’t think so

      2. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        No

      3. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I have the same question my self. probably not.

    7. kime67
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      if bot son and salah is out im gonna play free hit. anyone considering the same?

      1. Vazza
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        The issue could easily be rectified with a couple of transfers - keep your FH to navigate blank and double GWs

      2. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        no, silly

        1. Geriatric Unathletic
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Maybe not so silly if I am already on a - 8 and have Salah and Robertson? I had always planned to use F.H. if the Covid lurgie was to strike my shiny new Team. One more uncertainty and could just push me into a backtrack. Problem will be then the loss of value in the players I have bought in - Bruno, Cancelo and Watkins. I get back Mitchell, Jiminez and Son. Not a total disaster.

      3. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        No

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

      McCarthy (Fodder)
      Robbo Bellerin Zouma (Fodder x2)
      Son Salah Grealish JRod (Bissouma)
      Kane DCL Jimenez

      1FT, 0.0m in the bank

      Should I:-

      A. Wildcard the above

      B. Make a few transfers

      C. Leave it alone?

      1. FPL_Motty
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Dont see the need for wc, dont waste that. Jimi can go, but the rest looks solid. Save a transfer and consider jimi downgrade to fund son > kdb or bruno. Bissouma is decent cover for salah, he does shoot alot and villa have conceded a few recently

      2. Vazza
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        ?

    9. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Booker prize incoming.

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Hooker?

        1. Gnu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Your names on that trophy.

    10. Sz21
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Thinking, Son-> Fernandes (c) + Podence-> Grealish (-4).
      Do these moves look good?
      Also- Would u be looking to WC this team soon? Not sure if there is much benefit to waiting much longer really.

      McCarthy.
      Cancelo, Chilwell, Ayling, Justin.
      Son, Barkley, Podence.
      Kane, DCL, Jimenez.
      Button, Mitchell, Salah, Bissouma.
      1ft, 3.8m ITB. WC in hand.

      1. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Any injuries no bench to count on?

      2. thegaffer82
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Salah > Bruno (c)
        Pody > Grealish (v)

        Hope Villa & Utd go mental

    11. Matsy123
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I know cancelo offers way more than dias attacking wise but his place just doesn't seem safe when the easy fixtures come around and mendy is back. Am I mad going dias over cancelo?

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Not at all.

      2. FPL_Motty
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Thats my plan. Cancelo may get a 12pter but the day he's dropped and dias gets an easy 6pter compared to a blank, makes a big difference. You need to be able to count on players in the Christmas period coming up, because there will be lots of injuries and rests to cope with

    12. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Well should the Robbo injury be legit, Salah Robbo to Bruno Chilwell (-4) is easy as pie just before the deadline.

      Leaves me without a Liverpool player for the first time that I can remember

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Lucky you, if Salah and son are out I'll need a -12

          1. Flair
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Son is probably fine

          2. Brosstan
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Son seems likely fine. Salah not

        • Hy liverpool
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Robbo is fine

          1. Gnu
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            He's out for Scotland Hy, Dodgy Hammy.
            He might be fine for Liverpool but not 100%

      2. Dr. Ante Pavlovic
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        How is this looking for GW9 ?

        Mendy
        Chilwell, Coufal, Targett
        Salah, Bruno(c), Ziyech, JRod, Grealish
        DCL, Kane

        Justin in for Mo from bench

      3. Shark Team
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Robbo proves the worst pick of all my players this season

        1. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          You must be doing pretty well then

      4. NABIL - FPL otai
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Salah to Bruno done.

        Now I can do Barkley to KDB straight swap next GW. Sweeet.

        1. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Good plan. What could possibly go wrong?

          1. NABIL - FPL otai
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Indeed. Allows me to get Watkins too (maxed out Villa)

        2. thegaffer82
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          2 tip top moves there I reckon

          1. NABIL - FPL otai
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Well thank you

        3. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          why the rush?

          1. NABIL - FPL otai
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Did it before Bruno's price rise. Salah will fall. I value every $

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

          And then Salah returns against Brighton to score a captained hatrick?

          1. NABIL - FPL otai
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Nice. I'm taking my chances. Will probably get him back vs Fulham

          2. Flair
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Depends on if Mane is out

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Mane C this GW?

              1. Flair
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Not with how depleted Liverpool's squad is, I have little faith in them right now. May as well captain DCL for his guaranteed goal and move on to the next one.

                1. NABIL - FPL otai
                  • 11 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Yeah keep the armband on DCL. You get my support and will be swiftly rewarded.

                  1. Flair
                    • 3 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    Thank you, I've got his 30 points firmly banked now 🙂

        5. kime67
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          salah could recover

          1. NABIL - FPL otai
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            I know. But Bruno's impending EO scares me. Plus it allows me to keep Son, Kane and Barkley this week.

          2. Christina.
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            how? lol

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Come on... It's the hope that kills 🙂

          3. Gnu
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Really, how's that then?

      5. thegaffer82
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        So that’s Liverpool’s entire first choice back 4 furloughed now, plus Fabinho injured and Salah rocking Covid 🙁

        Not even sure 4.0 is worth it for Neco Williams anymore

        1. Hy liverpool
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Fabinho is training and robbo is fine

          1. RamaJama
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Robbo is injured, withdrawn from National team

        2. NABIL - FPL otai
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          I think Nathaniel is a fine 5th defender if on WC

      6. BENOIT
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Re: Mitchell... "since then he has blanked regularly, got injured and lost his place in the team."

        How do we know he has lost his place in the team?

        1. Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          PVA back

        2. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          we dont

      7. waltzingmatildas
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Best route to kdb
        A) upgrade son (defence gets even cheaper, balance is off)
        B) upgrade Bruno in a couple of gws (means I can keep Kane and upgrade defence)

        Mccarthy button
        Chilwell James ayling Taylor mitchell
        Mané Bruno son soucek bissouma
        DCL Kane Bamford

        1. NABIL - FPL otai
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          C. Lose Mane

          1. waltzingmatildas
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Not even considered that!

            1. Flair
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Do nothing for this GW, reasses next GW.

              1. Flair
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Meant to reply below.

              2. waltzingmatildas
                • 13 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Not keen on son to grealish?

        2. Flair
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          How much ITB?

          1. waltzingmatildas
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            1.7 right now. Have got my wc

        3. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          C. Just ignore him

          1. waltzingmatildas
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Tempting! Happy to miss the first haul but then jump on quickly

      8. 2OLEgend
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Hey guys.
        Would you go with Mane instead of Salah (long term) if it allows Son -> KDB?

        1. NABIL - FPL otai
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Middle term, yes. Wouldn't lose Son easily though, still among the best value players this season

        2. Flair
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Yep

      9. FPL_Motty
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        To address the article:
        I'd actually argue that we are shifting the opposite direction. The season started for me very heavily invested in the back, as thats proven to be fantasy gold last season. However the clean sheets and attacking points dried up and the value seemed better spent elsewhere. Then many mid and low priced budget options starting smashing it out of the woodwork and the premium options were inconsistent. So then the value from def started to move towards to budget mid and forward options. Now personally I'd argue that we are shifting in actuality to budget defence options with money all spent on premium and mid priced mids and forwards. As now the premium assets having starting showing they can deliver, ie. Kane, Bruno, Son etc, now KDB and Sterling may join the party. On top of this, this season there are now tons of great 4.5m def options. Ie. Kwp, Coufal, Dallas /Ayling, Lamptey, Targett, theres tons. So I'd say as an opposing opinion that I reckon the shift will move to premium assets up front funded by now available budget options in defence. But this is how FPL works, all about having a strategy and working towards it, we are banking on predicting the future trends early and sometimes it works out sometimes it doesn't 🙂

        1. NABIL - FPL otai
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Nice read.

          Next time, paragraphs please

          1. Flair
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            This

          2. FPL_Motty
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Lol fair enough, was from my phone!

        2. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Yep players like Ziyech and Grealish cant be ignored any longer.

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

          Yeah, it's interesting -- Sam and I are both not too fond of the budget attacker category, but drew different conclusions from it when setting up for GW1. Sam went relatively light in defence to be able to get as many premiums as possible, while I limited the number of premiums to two and started with 4 defenders all priced 5.0 or higher to limit the number of weak links in my team. Now I'm going cheaper in defence as I know which 4.5m defenders I am happy to have.

        4. Sgt Frank Drebin
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          I think the number of clean sheets will increase soon as the surge in goals scored was a result of both 1. just variance 2. increase I penalties awarded. The second part is more worrying as it seems like there aren't any signs suggesting number of pens will decrease.

      10. goooner
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Im switching structure now to 4-5-1.
        That means
        Chillwell, Bellerin, Cancelo, Robertson (Creswell)
        Salah, Ziyech, Fernandes, Grealish, KDB
        Bamford (Brester, David)
        0,5 in bank

        Will switch Bamford with Watkins and Antonio depending

        Captain: Bruno GW9, KdB GW10,11, Salah GW12, KdB GW13, Bruno GW14, KdB GW15 (or Salah).
        Then move out KdB with 2 FT for Kane and captain him GW 16,17 then back to KdB again in 18 (C) with 2FT.

        1. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          back to the future Marty McFly.

        2. HashAttack
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Here's me wishing I could get 4 forwards - have played 3-4-3 every week this season

        3. Vlekz
            3 years, 4 months ago

            What is your exact final rank going to be? Can you even predict mine?

        4. R.C
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Who will be on pens for Pool now?

          Mane or Milner?

          1. MGMT
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Milner

          2. FPL_Motty
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Good question. Probably milner not going to play, id have then said maybe trent? Or Hendo

            1. Sgt Frank Drebin
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Trent injured

          3. RamaJama
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Milner

        5. NABIL - FPL otai
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Anyone else keeping Kane and Son through thick and thin?

          1. Christina.
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            for now yes. If I sell one it will be Son.

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Good girl

          2. Flair
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            No.

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              🙁

              1. Flair
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                I backed them at the start, not anymore 😛

                1. NABIL - FPL otai
                  • 11 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Fair.

                  Damn those fixtures. Class is permanent though 😉

                  1. Flair
                    • 3 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    It's all about the opportunity cost for me

          3. Zimo
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Nopes

          4. MGMT
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Just Kane

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              But son is probably best value this season

          5. HashAttack
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Keeping both this week - Think Spurs will score / beat Man C and Kane loves a London derby
            Worried about Son price drop and his history playing vs Chelsea - but I have sold him twice already this season and not sure I can handle the trauma of a 3rd sell followed by him getting a load of points

            1. Stranger Mings
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Who is more likely to score / get assist son or sterling when spurs play Man City ?

              1. caldracula
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Probably Son

              2. HashAttack
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Hopefully Son ... don't think either side will get a CS

            2. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              So keep them. NLD coming up too

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

              It’s not a London derby though is it? If you look back at the last few Spurs vs Man City games Kane’s not really done anything.

          6. Sgt Frank Drebin
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            I'm keeping Son and will think about selling Kane. I wanted to swap Kane to KDB in a double transfer but Man City can be so unpredictable at times... Wasting transfers to sell Son and then get him back again is not a good idea now with so many injuries imho especially that he can score well in the fixtures to come. He's involved in like most of the goals from Spurs and they seem to like to play Man City.

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Yeah City attack is meh this season. KDB might not be that 'essential' after all.

              Ksne to Vardy is tempting GW10. Need to resist the temptation for sure

          7. Pacer.
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Son and Kane not even on radar. Right now two playing premiums is gold

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Not when you can save money at the back. I'm probably having Kane Son Bruno AND KDB GW10 while keeping the usual suspects like Grealish Chilwell and DCL

        6. Party time
            3 years, 4 months ago

            I wouldn’t be surprised if Mané plays left back vs Leicester

          • Dr. Ante Pavlovic
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Write your predicted Liverpool lineup please.

            1. Flair
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Fluid Front 4
              Mane
              Jota - Firmino - Shaqiri
              Henderson - Wijnaldum
              Robbo/Milner - Matip - Fabinho/Phillips - Williams/Milner

              1. RamaJama
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Robbo also injured

                1. Flair
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Out for the Scotland game only, not necessarily the Liverpool one.

                  1. Gnu
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 14 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    That's being a bit presumptuous

            2. Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              your predicted Liverpool lineup please.

          • Christina.
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Vardy is going to go massive wk 10-13

            1. Zimo
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              He already doing great tho

            2. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              So Barkley to KDB or Brewster to Vardy?

            3. Party time
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Massive haul at Anfield imo

              • La Roja
                • 12 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Chatshitgetbanged innit

            4. JURGENAUT
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Currently, how many of your players are flagged/non-playing, and which? And have you spent your FT(s)?

              Mine:

              Salah
              Mitchell
              Stephens

              Have 1FT.

              1. Flair
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                0

                Sitting on 2 FT waiting until Friday

                1. JURGENAUT
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Nice, what’s your team?

                  1. Flair
                    • 3 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    Martinez
                    Semedo-Chilwell-Lamptey-James
                    Raz-Mane-Podence-JRod
                    Kane-DCL (C)

              2. HashAttack
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Salah and Rashford .... can't bring in Ziyech as I already have 3 Chelsea 🙁 - (Zouma, Chillwell and Werner)

            5. HashAttack
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              "Losing my second playing keeper freed me up an additional £4.8m" - that's a very optimistic way of looking at it, you still need to buy a replacement keeper, even if he only costs 4.0m

              1. Flair
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Grammatically wrong too I think, no need for the me in the middle

                Weird sentence 😆

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

              RMWCT

              Martinez | Forster
              PvA Lamptey Taylor | Justin Lewis
              Mane KdB Bruno Soucek | Berge
              Vardy Richarlison Watkins

              0.6 ITB

              1. Christina.
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                A WC without Ziyech but with Richarlison?
                Not for me.

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

                  Think Richarlison is a good choice, but no Chelsea at all seems wrong

                  1. NABIL - FPL otai
                    • 11 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    This. At least Chilwell

                  2. Christina.
                    • 14 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    no Grealish? crazy. WC wasted.

              2. FPL_Motty
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Taylor has very tough upcoming fixtures. Berge is a waste of 0.5m. Justin is a bit iffy, decent but could be losing place soon. Prefer salah over mane but understandable with the covid situation. Just think long term though, salah is more reliable as a captain. Nice front line though, is good to be non-template up front with vardy and rich. Just should be more template in defence

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

                This teams needs Chilwell instead of Lewis, Grealish instead of Mane, Ziyech instead of Berge. and downgrade Richarlison if you need fund

            7. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              PVA Barkley Soucek.. loving my differentials for the run in.

              If only KDB is not the best FPL player

              1. Christina.
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                run in? you mean the next 30 weeks?

                1. NABIL - FPL otai
                  • 11 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Lol I rarely look beyond 3 GWs

                  1. Christina.
                    • 14 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    so whats week 36-38 if this is the run in?

                    1. NABIL - FPL otai
                      • 11 Years
                      3 years, 4 months ago

                      Sorry, probably shouldn't have said run in. It's the immediate fixtures I'm talking about

            8. g40steve
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              GTG?

              Martinez
              Coufal, Chilwell, Robbo
              Grealish, Bruno, Zaha, Son
              DCL C, Kane, Bamford

              Forster, Zouma, Lamptey, Podence

              2.2

              1. Pacer.
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Yes if matches started in an hour