Pro Pundits

The budget FPL assets I’m considering to help finance a Gameweek 12 Salah swoop

Five-time top 1k finisher Tom Freeman reveals his team for Gameweek 11 and outlines his plan to recapture Mohamed Salah the following week.


Gameweek 10 was a challenging one for me.

After taking my first hit of the season, I returned a total of just 50 (-4) points and as a result, now sit 515,661st overall. 

Despite a good start (I was ranked just inside the top 150k after Gameweek 6), I’ve struggled to find consistency since.

Looking back, there are a few reasons behind the slump, but I’d largely put it down to not owning Bruno Fernandes (£10.9m) and Jack Grealish (£7.7m) and failing to invest in Chelsea’s backline. 

The lack of Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.9m) has perhaps been an issue, but less so considering my alternative, Patrick Bamford (£6.1m), has managed to keep pace and actually outscore him over the last five Gameweeks.

While most of the players I’ve transferred in have done well, João Cancelo (£5.6m) has disappointed. 

At the time of his signing, I was lured in by the number of chances he was creating, which was comfortably above any other defender in the game, but it’s one of those moves you look back on in hindsight and think, ‘what was I thinking?’. 

Frustratingly, I spoke about the threat of Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) with fellow Pro Pundits Lateriser and Zophar on a recent FPL Wire pod, and how he would be preferred in certain games, which is exactly what happened against Burnley. 

Rúben Dias (£5.6m) was probably the safer play and the route I should have gone down, though I doubt anyone in that defence will be completely immune to rotation in the coming weeks.

So, a few mistakes, but how do I get back on track, and what are my plans going forward?

Well, Mohamed Salah (£12.2m) will probably come back into my team ahead of Gameweek 12 for Marcus Rashford (£9.5m), but to make that move I will need to downgrade one of my heavy hitters. That could be one of Son Heung-min (£9.5m), Harry Kane (£10.9m) or Jamie Vardy (£10.3m), so what I thought I’d do in this, my latest column, is highlight two of my main transfer targets who will essentially help fund the Salah move.

At this stage, I should point out that I’m planning to play my Wildcard ahead of Gameweek 16, in preparation for the Blank/Double Gameweeks to follow. That means I’m simply focusing on the four fixtures from Gameweek 12 onwards.

So, best of luck in Gameweek 11 everyone.

Thanks for reading, until next time…




753 Comments Post a Comment
  1. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Not many people talked about it, but mad fixture congestion starts soon, gonna be even worse with covid. Time to start sorting our benches out? For instance my bench contains Nyland and Ferguson.
    Got away with it so far but probably wont be so lucky over xmas, maybe I can keep Nyland but Ferguson needs fixing, anyone else with a half dead bench?

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

      Got Bissouma in for Jorginho, like a 2 point hit.

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I have Bissouma but looking at his stats, seems like he isnt gonna get much more then 2/3 ever. Possibly might think of upgrading him to Raphinha

    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      My bench is saiss Mitchell and a palace mid who doesn't play 🙂

      Will try to sort in time for Xmas

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        lol worse then me then 😀

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

      Did a boring Mitchell to Dallas this week partly for this reason, 14 starting outfield players

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Leeds actually have a nice set of fixtures covering the xmas period, a leeds player seems wise.

    4. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I think Ferguson resumed training today for what it’s worth

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        yea I heard that, not sure I have any faith left in Palace defence after owning Guaita GW2-9

        1. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Fair enough

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

    Son no longer due. Unlucky owners...

  3. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Best use of FT in your opinion? 0ITB

    A) Martinez to McCarthy
    B) Sterling to Mahrez
    C) Sterling to Son
    D) Save FT (No keeper)

    Thanks

    1. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      B) pretty tempting - you thinking Sterling isn't going to feature against Fulham or trying to free up funds? Or both?

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        The answer to your question I’m actually not sure about - the main concern of course is he doesn’t play or has a cameo.

        What I should do is see what I want to do for next gameweek and base a decision off that.

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

      B

  4. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Should have been 2 for Son

  5. Aaa
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    McCarthy/Forster
    Cancelo/Chilwell/Targett/Kilman/Mitchell
    KDB/Fernandes/Ziyesch/Grealish/Riedeweld
    Vardy/DCL/Bamford

    £1.8m itb and 2 free transfers, best to sort Mitchell and Riedeweld this week, maybe to Dallas/Lamptey and Soucek?

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

      Cancelo, Mitchell to James, Lamps/Dallas

  6. Joey Tribbiani
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    'the entire newcastle team was tested today and the results will be public tomorrow, but the total is now at 7 players positive'

    not sure how true this is but...

    1. pablo discobar
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Could their next game be in doubt too then?

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

        Put it this way I wont be doing Martinez to Johnstone

        1. Pompel
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Steer to Johnstone still a viable option

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

        Yes but it is West Brom, then Dirty Leeds then Fulham, so nothing to worry about until City after that.

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

    Who to remove to bring in Salah ahead of gameweek 12 -

    A. Bruno
    B. Kane
    C. Vardy

    I’m wildcarding ahead of gameweek 16 by the way

    Please respond supported by reasoning

    1. clodhopper
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Any of them could be better

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

      I am doing c next week

    3. Mr Wolf
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Tough, but B

  8. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Lucas Moura subbed

  9. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Son skillfully applying the brakes to his bandwagon.

  10. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Son going to punish me this weekend. Arsenal are useless.

  11. AdamJ91
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Need some advice on what to do with having 3 Villa players;

    1FT; 0.3 ITB

    Martinez, Peacock-Farrell
    Chilwell, Cancelo, Coufal, Lamptey, Ferguson
    Salah, KDB, Ziyech, Grealish, Anguissa
    Kane, DCL, Watkins

    Watkins > Bamford perhaps?

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

    Sell Podence or Hamez for KDB?

    Money stays ITB either way, with the move funded by Kane to Bamford. 1.0 and 3.2m respectively.

    Interestingly the Wolves man outperforms Hamez on stats the last 4 GW

  13. Donny_Rover
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    The Villa cancellation has thrown my plans to roll a transfer a bit...tempted to transfer Mitchell out for someone cheap and playing in case Cancelo is benched again, favouring Taylor at the moment but anyone under £4.5m would do - planning Cancelo & DCL to Bamford & Robertson/TAA in the next couple of weeks. Any thoughts?

    Meslier (Martinez)
    Cancelo Chilwell Dias Coufal (Mitchell)
    KDB (c) Salah Jota Bissouma (Grealish)
    DCL Vardy (Watkins)

    £1.3m ITB

    1. Team Bobcat
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I think Mitchell to a playing 4.5m def is a sound move with upcoming schedule regardless of when its done. If you can afford to roll you can afford to do that move now

  14. HonestBlatter
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Please announce the AVL-NEW to next monday and to GW11

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

      No chance of that.

      1. Mr Wolf
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Sorry, based on what?

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

      Not a hope

  15. ajk1211
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Keep or sell Watkins?

    Have Biss, Sdallas and Coufal bench and would mean 2 FTs next week

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      i d keep 100%

    2. Mr Wolf
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Keep

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

      I'm selling this week for Adams then buying Wilson or watkins back in gw 13

    4. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Keep

  16. BeWater
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Sometimes I just stare off into the middle distance and wonder why the hell I started the season with Doherty at 6M and Mitrovic at 6M.

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

      Doherty I'll allow you, although I wanted him to stay at Wolves.

      1. BeWater
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Worst thing is Mitro is still there.

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

    Aurier likely to start on the weekend? (seems being rested today)

    1. BeWater
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Very likely.

  18. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soninho looking good

  19. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Thoughts on this plan?
    gw11 -- use one of 2FTs: Watkins > Decordova-Reid
    gw12 -- 2FTs on Vardy, Ziyech > Salah, Wilson (may ship Cancelo, too, if he has lost his spot)

    Would pretty much need to be KDB or Vardy out in gw12, and not as keen to ship KDB.

    McCarthy
    Chilwell, Cancelo, KWP, Kilman
    KDB, Bruno, Ziyech, Soucek
    DCL, Vardy
    (Forster; Grealish*, Watkins*, Targett*)

  20. # Young Gun SEAMUS #
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Need Mahrez should i kick Ziyech ?

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I’d keep him

      1. # Young Gun SEAMUS #
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I have Kdb...but feels that mahrez gonna do same thing against fulham

    2. n-doggg
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Mahrez is a trap. Worth a one week punt but rotation nightmare

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        its possible he goes on a little run of 5/6 games scoring pretty good, but yes xmas rotation for City will be pretty awful to deal with

      2. JELLYFISH
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Nice move for non Grealish owners. Mahrez > Jack after GW11

  21. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Trent Alexander-Arnold to make Liverpool return against Wolves in huge Jurgen Klopp boost
    https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1367923/Trent-Alexander-Arnold-injury-return-Liverpool-news-Wolves-Jurgen-Klopp-1367923

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

      TAA to play 59 mins then replaced by Neco would be good

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

      Neco punters in tatters...

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

      Still in 13.7% of sides

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

      My TAA replacement is on 1 point from two games. Cheers for naff all Cancelo.

    5. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Ffs I need Neco to play

    6. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Oh yes!! I’m buying him next week!

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

    Best defender out of the following for gameweeks 12 to 15

    A. Lewis (WBA, lee, FUL, mci)
    B. Taylor (ars, avl, WOL, lee)
    C. Cooper (WHU, NEW, mun, LEE)

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

      C

  23. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Who to Captain?

    A) Bruno
    B) Mahrez
    C) Son
    D) Werner
    E) Vardy

    Thanks

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

      B

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

      E

  24. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Help please - I'm desperate ...

    Martinez
    Robertson Chilwell Cancelo Dallas
    Fernandes Son JamesR Foden
    DCL Vardy

    Forster Brewster Grealish Ferguson

    1 FT, 1.7 itb

    1. Robertson JamesR >> Vestergaard KDB (-4)
    2. JamesR Vardy >> KDB Adams / Bamford (-4)
    3. JamesR >> Mahrez

    Thanks!!

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

      1, definitely.

      1. FCSB
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        do you think Vestergaard or someone else (4.9 budget)? Thanks

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

          Maybe Lamptey.

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

      1

  25. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    do you reckon kane will start this weekend? a swap to jesus is tempting otherwise.

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

      Course he does, on one leg if he has to

  26. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Son subbed

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

      tactical?

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Rest

    2. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      perfect

  27. n-doggg
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Cancelo. Chances of starting on the weekend? Will be struggling to field 11 I’d he doesn’t

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

      start

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

      Don't think cancelawill start. Think pep picks the same team that beat Burnley

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

    Start Justin or Lamptey?

    1. zon
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Justin

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

        Sure?

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

      Justin

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

    Spurs concede again

  30. Captain Vantastic™
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Jeez Hart is terrible

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

      Hartbreak