The Best Differential All-Rounders

As ‘the time that bears no fruit deserves no name‘, so I have used my time to set aside any boring thoughts about international breaks and check some specific stats for defenders that have low ownership (that is under 10 per cent).

In this article I will be discussing my own criteria for selecting differential defenders, give my reasoning behind that selection criteria, and then make a list of the selected players.

Theory of the All Rounders

Thankfully, the creators of the FPL game have set it up to find a balance between attacking and defending skills. This is so clear when examining how players earn both direct points and bonus points.

Players earn direct points through scoring goals, making assists, and achieving clean sheets.

Also, players can be awarded bonus points for other footballing skills: successful tackles, blocks, interceptions, clearances, recoveries, saves, completed passes, shots on target, key passes, creating chances, successful crosses and dribbles.

Hence, an ‘All-Rounder’ is a player who is good at a wide range of the skills mentioned above – one more likely to attract FPL points, whether directly (goals, assists, and clean sheets) or indirectly (bonus points).

So, a possible differential candidate has to be able to demonstrate that he has a mix of attacking and defending skills in order to be considered for a position on the ‘All Rounders’ list.

For a defender to be an all rounder he should have a reasonable number of the attacking skills (goal attempts, key passes, creating chances, successful crosses, and aerial threat), make a reasonable number of completed passes per game, and also have as many as possible of the defending skills, but not necessarily all of them.

Putting theory of All Rounders into operation

In order to find the differential all rounders I will be using some tables that are available in the Members Area, and examining some specific stats which, in my opinion, are the most important for that purpose. The defender should appear in the top ten list for these stats to show that he is a candidate for the ‘All Rounders’ list.

1) Finding the differential defenders who have reasonable attacking skills

Involvement. Stats to be examined:

• Touches in the final third
• Successful take ons

Distribution. Stats to be examined:

• Successful passes
• Successful crosses
• Chances created

Goal Threat. Stats to be examined:

• Touches in penalty area
• Goal attempts

Set pieces. Stats to be examined:

• Attempts from set pieces
• Successful corners

As this article uses a lot of members stats, only those with a valid Fantasy Football Scout subscription can access it in full.