Pro Pundits

My FPL Gameweek 9 transfer plans and whether I’ll be keeping or selling Salah

Three-time top 5k finisher Az reveals his current Gameweek 9 plans in his latest Pro Pundits column.


So after my article last week, I’m back to give my thoughts about the, quite frankly, chaotic international break and what it means for my own team going forward.

I’m writing this on Tuesday evening and I currently have three “flags” in my team: Ben Chilwell (£6.0m), Mohamed Salah (£12.3m) and Tyrick Mitchell (£4.1m). This could all change in the next few days but I’m feeling quite lucky, as I know plenty of managers have the likes of Raheem Sterling (£11.5m), Marcus Rashford (£9.6m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.3m) and even Andrew Robertson (£7.1m) and are sweating on their fitness and availability for the weekend.

It’s a difficult time, and if you’ve made early moves, don’t beat yourself up. While it is generally advisable to wait as long as possible to gather as much information as you can, sometimes price fluctuations mean that you have to take a risk to avoid being “locked out” of the moves that you want to make.

In the October international break, I made some early moves that made me a tidy profit of £0.6m on my team value. Okay, it meant that I had to play the Wildcard the same week when issues started to arise, but I still think that it was an acceptable risk for that kind of team value. It was only the late injury to Kevin De Bruyne (£11.5m) that really forced my hand, and without that, I’d probably still have it in my pocket.

Those without Wildcards or even Free Hits need to factor this into their decision making, but as always, sometimes the early moves can pay off and set you up nicely for the weeks ahead. I cannot say I wouldn’t have moved early to dump the likes of Alexander-Arnold, Callum Wilson (£6.6m), Mitchell or Danny Ings (£8.3m), who we are all fairly sure aren’t going to make miraculous recoveries for the next Gameweek.

Is now the right time for some restructuring? 2

Armed with only one free transfer this week, I have shown patience over the international break. In my previous article, I talked up the upcoming potential of the likes of De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes (£10.6m) but have yet to make an official move for either player.

Salah’s fitness status is weighing on my mind.


Az <p>One half of the FPL BlackBox YouTube series with Mark Sutherns.</p><p>Former Membership Strategy Manager for FFS&nbsp;</p> Follow them on Twitter

1,114 Comments Post a Comment
  1. bobbyg
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    McCarthy/Button
    Cancello/Kilman/Justin/Zouma/Mitchell
    Salah/Sterling/Son/Soucek/Grealish
    Kane/DLC/Brewster

    Already taken -4

    Would you WC or take -8 for Salah to Bruno (C)?

    TIA

  2. Big Ronnie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    A or E short term, C long term

    1. Big Ronnie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Reply fail to Jurgenaut

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

    Vardy a must on WC? Currently on this:

    Mccarthy
    Cancelo Chilwell Targett
    KDB Bruno Grealish Ziyech
    DCL Vardy Bamford
    (Forster, Soucek, Coufal, Kilman)

    1.5ITB ready for Salah.

    1. Big Ronnie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I think so. Good team, very similar to mine below.

    2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Not at all imo
      Team looks good tho

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

      Mccarthy
      Cancelo Chilwell Targett
      KDB Bruno Grealish Ziyech
      DCL Kane Watkins
      (Forster, Soucek, Coufal, Kilman)
      My WC team from last week lol

  4. Big Ronnie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Thoughts on WC team? Route to get Salah back would be Bruno & DCL to Salah & £6.1m forward in a few gameweeks (although fully expect things to change). Could move Soucek to Bissouma to give myself a bit more leeway when bringing Salah back?

    Martinez, £4m
    Chilwell, Cancelo, Coufal, Justin, Lamptey
    Ziyech, KDB, Grealish, Bruno, Soucek
    DCL, Watkins, Vardy

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

      Extremely similar to mine mate. Can i ask your reasoning behind Watkins over Bamford?

      1. Big Ronnie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Mainly fixtures and feel Bamford's scoring will slow down

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

          Fair enough. Im just hesitant to triple up on Villa.

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

        Fixtures for me

  5. WWW.
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Repost as didn't get any replies.

    With Salah sat on my bench, who replaces him in my starting 11?

    A) Brewster (WHU)
    B) Saiss (SOU)
    C) Justin (liv)

    Rest of team:

    Martinez
    Chilwell Coufal Lamptey
    Son Grealish Zaha JRodriguez
    Kane DCL

    Cheers!

    1. Big Ronnie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Saiss with Justin first on the bench if he doesn't play

      1. The Sociologist
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        agree

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

    Cmon Bruno overcome Ziyech in the most transferred in player race. I don't want my new buy to suffer the most transferred in player syndrome...

  7. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I am on -8 for doing:

    Salah -> Kdb
    Son -> Ziyech
    Wilson -> Bamford

    Since Salah and Wilson could be back in gw10, doest it make sense to activate my FH and get 8 points back?

    Or do you think the moves are good long term? I would like to get Salah back potentially by downgrading Kane and upgrading Ziyech to Salah

    1. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I think just leave it as it is for now and cross your fingers nothing else comes up

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Son will punish
      Ziyech is a keeper for the season
      KDB lack of form

  8. sovietrockettes
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    In all seriousness, should I roll my FT? I could theoretically dump Foden for Jota or Wilson for Watkins/Bamford......but it doesn't feel urgent

    Martinez
    Robbo Chilwell RJames Lamptey
    (M)ane Son Grealish
    Kane DCL Wilson

    Foden Saiss Anguissa Forster 0.2 ITB 1 FT

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Dumping foden is urgent

    2. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I’d be moving on Foden or Wilson this week

  9. luk46
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    what are the chances for Robbo to start at the weekend?

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

      High is my guess

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Not great if it’s hamstring surely

    3. luk46
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      ye, I would think hes out for couple games... but hes not ruled out 100%, so have to wait for pressers, right!?

    4. Alan The Llama
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      He's possibly playing tonight. Steve Clarke has said "everyone is fit".

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54898189

  10. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who to place 1st on bench?

    A. Bissouma
    B. Dallas

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

      A

    2. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      B)

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

    Seems like every WC has KDB Bruno Grealish Ziyech as a midfield four...

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Probably the best 4 mids right now. JRod could be back on everyone’s radar this weekend though

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

      Looks good on paper

    3. Boomerang V
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      yeah, the problem is who makes way when Salah is back?

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

        Salah brace next gw incoming and lots of good FPL managers won't own him. You have to plan forward in FPL...

      2. Black Knights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Bruno easiest price point.

        1. Black Knights
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          If Kdb is essential for more games.

    4. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah. Many sold or will sell Son.

  12. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Best move here with 1FT, 0itb? Still got WC.

    A. Salah >> KDB
    B. Salah >> Bruno
    C. Saiss >> James/Lamptey
    D. Take a -4

    McCarthy
    Chilwell*, Saiss*, Cresswell
    Salah*, Son, Ziyech, Rodríguez, Grealish
    Kane, DCL
    (Nyland, Mitchell*, Justin, Davis)

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

      A or B

    2. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A or B

  13. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Martinez
    James - Cancelo - Chillwell
    Son - Rashford - Ziyech - Salah - Soucek
    Kane - DCL
    __________________________________
    Forster: Brewster: Dunne: Mitchell

    1.8 ITB

    All these great teams and here I am already on a -12 with FH played last week just to keep pace!
    Take another hit for Salah? Or just give up entirely now?

    Cheers

    1. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Ouch... just take this one on the chin I think.

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Just another nightmare season, thinking of balls to it and taking a -32 or something

  14. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Does Salah's 10 day isolation period start from the first test he had or the latest test?

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

      What do think?
      Cannot travel back to UK until negative, two tests required.

  15. Le Bluff
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    On wildcard. Who would you rather have (already have Chilwell):

    A) Martinez and Lamptey
    B) McCarthy and Reece James

    Think it'll be a unanimous A but always good to get opinions.

    1. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      It's A for me

    2. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A

  16. lindeg
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    People actually thinking salah will be back after this weekend, are you just in denial? Hes positive today, a negative test tomorrow would allow him to train again in 11 days, thats next weekend?? Without match form he might even be doubt for the following ucl match - and this is all assuming hes negative tomorrow.

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      If he tests negative and shows no symptoms he could play v Brighton. Sure he could be positive for weeks, no-one knows.

  17. Le Bluff
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Current wildcard draft:

    Martinez / (Forster)
    Chilwell / Cancelo / Coufal / (Lamptey) / (J Lewis)
    Sterling / KDB / Bruno / Grealish / (4.4)
    DCL / Watkins / Bamford.

    1.7 in the bank to bring Salah back down the line (likely for Bruno).

    Thoughts? Want to attack the City fixtures.

    1. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I’d potentially go Mane/Bruno over Sterling until he picks up some form. But can see why you’ve done it - looks decent!

      1. Le Bluff
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers! Already have Bruno. Not really considered Mane to be honest but certainly one to ponder. City's fixtures just don't get better than what they are!

  18. sirmorbach
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    On WC:

    1) McCarthy and Targett
    2) Martinez and KWP
    3) Villa double up?

    1. Black Knights
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      2

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

      2 for me

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

        Cheers, lads

    3. Le Bluff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      2 but are you not interested in other 4.5 defenders? KWP's fixtures take a turn.

      Consider Ayling/Coufal?

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

        Good point. I've got Coufal already. Ayling, Dallas, maybe Kilman even? Who would you suggest, if I may? Up to 5.2, already got Chilwell, Cancelo and Lamptey as well

        1. Black Knights
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          My looking at Dias, Cancelo, Justin, Coufal and C Taylor on my WC. Just don’t like Chelsea’s games and the latter 3 rotate nicely to cover 1/2 spots for the odd city rotation.

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

            Great ideas, thank you for that

      2. Black Knights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        True. Without knowing, I’d also say Coufal. C Taylor has good games a DGW coming too.

    4. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      1 - I don't think there much between them. I would bank the difference

  19. bobbyg
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    TAA > Cancello
    Podence to Grealish and
    Salah to Bruno

    All for -8

    Or WC?

    1. Black Knights
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      If you have no other issues, -8. I had those 3 plus Saiss, Dier, Wilson so decided to WC to set everything straight.

    2. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I’d leave Podence and do the other two.

      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        +1 unless you are considering Bruno (C)

        1. bobbyg
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Thanks guys. If i was to get Bruno i would capt him

  20. George James
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Salah + Bowen >> Grealish + Bruno -4

    Yes or No

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No.

    2. Bielsa Murderball
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      yes

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

      Yeah

    4. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Very tempted to pull a similar move myself for -4 (Salah + ASM > Grealish + Bruno). Would say yes.

    5. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

    6. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

  21. JAYPEE
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Mitchell to Targett or Coufal?

    1. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      If you’ve not got any other Villa defensive cover, then Targett.

    2. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Targett

    3. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Keep Mitchell. He won't play but frees up funds.

  22. yanky
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    havent pulled wc trigger yet but should i?

    Mccarthy
    TAA* Chilwell* Lamptey Cresswell Mitchell*
    Salah* Grealish Son Podence* Bissouma
    Kane DCL Maupay

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

      This week has now turned into a phenomenal week to WC. I had my doubts early on but with the mess of an IB, take advantage and hit this week with a strong team moving foward. There are people with no WC left and in deep trouble with injuries

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Nice one for rubbing it in, alright for some.

  23. Hansel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Trent, Salah, Mitro -> Cresswell, Bruno, Werner for -8?

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

      Yeah

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

    Is Creswell worth the extra over Coufal?

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

      yes

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

      Not so far.

  25. Mane Mane Mane
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    In a bit of a dilemma
    My team is
    Martinez 4.0
    Dallas Justin Coufal Cancelo Mitchell
    Son Grealish Zaha Mane Bissouma
    Watkins Maupay Kane.

    Do I
    A) Vardy for Maupay then following week Antonio for Kane + KDB for Son (-4)
    Or
    B) DCL for Maupay + Fernandes for Son (-4) then following week Antonio for Kane + KDB for Zaha (-4)

    Long winded I know but I’m really struggling whether to take the extra point loss or any other way to change the team about?
    Any help is appreciated, cheers.

  26. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Latest on Fofana?

  27. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I’m already on a -4 with this as my team

    Mendy
    Cresswell Semado Konsa lamp
    Zaha son Bruno
    Dcl Kane bam

    Anguissa, Mitchell, salah

    I can stay here but it leaves me no route to kdb or a city mid without a -4 next week

    Would you bump up to a -8 and do salah to greilish ? (if confirmed to miss 2 games)

    That would leave funds for son to kdb next week

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No. Can go Salah to De Bruyne next GW.

      1. Steve The Spud
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        That does mean I’m stuck with double spurs for 2 weeks tho at least

        COYS !

        1. GreennRed
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Stuck? Kane and Son are flying. So-called difficult fixtures against teams that concede plenty of goals though Chelsea defence is improving.

  28. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    G2G here and wc 10?

    McCarthy
    James Chilwell Coufal KWP
    Bruno(c) Son Grealish Bowen
    DCL Werner(wc)

    Nyland Salah Brewster Ferguson

  29. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Anyone going with Rashford over Bruno?

    Allows me to get KDB in next week but seems like a huge call as they will be captain this week.

  30. davewg59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Son to Ziyech or leave it guys?

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Leave. Any alternative to get Ziyech?

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

      Yes I did already