Pro Pundits

Three-time top 200 finisher Lateriser on City, captaincy and the Blanks and Doubles

The reigning FPL champion of India, Lateriser, shares his thoughts ahead of the Gameweek 16 deadline.


Things are moving incredibly fast in the Fantasy Premier League world and it’s important to stay on top of things and react. Traditionally, this is the period where the engaged FPL managers make ground on the casuals (who are getting not so casual, year on year).

For your information, I am writing this article on the morning after Saturday’s games so the piece will not contain relevant information from Sunday’s matches. Due to the current fifth-gear nature of FPL, this will be a freestyle ramble of all things I want to address.

First up, we need to talk about Manchester City. They are one of the prime culprits for my poor start to the season. In my Gameweek 3 Wildcard, I got in a triple City midfield and have had two City attackers for the most part of the season.

That explains my rank (1.7 million at the time of writing, which is a lot better than the 3.1 million it was in Gameweek 12). It has taken me so long to readjust my thinking in this case and I have definitely failed to adapt. Their fixtures from Gameweek 10 to 15 seduced me like prime Demi Moore (Burnley, Fulham, West Brom an Newcastle at home) and being a fixtures guy all my life, I jumped in.

I mean, we’re talking about Pep Guardiola and the most attacking team in the country for the past three years. But one of the signs of a good FPL manager is to adapt. I didn’t and my rank shows that. After watching Manchester City play Newcastle United last night, I was convinced that the play with the Citizens is their defence not their attack. I know I’m stating the obvious but we have three viable defender options from Guardiola’s side (I own two of them), all three of whom are under £6.0m.

For what they offer for their price, I personally think that taking the odd rest/rotation from them is fine because of the significant value they offer. City are playing a different brand of football (all audition games for the Champions League knockout stages) and we need to re-align our thinking with their attack.

One manager who did adapt is my pod-partner and fellow Pro Pundit, Zophar. He’s been sitting on double City defence since his Gameweek 9 Wildcard and reaping the rewards. That move reeks of low-key shrewdness that can go a long way in having a good season. He was sitting at 970k on his Gameweek 9 Wildcard and is currently at 119k.

What about Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m), though? Well, if we’re talking about the game yesterday, except for that one-on-one chance, he didn’t do much else.

Manchester City are eighth amongst all teams filtered by shots in the box over the last four matches. Yes, De Bruyne is shooting a lot and is playing further up the field, but I get the feeling that while he’s a clean striker of the ball, he takes a fair amount of time to get his shot off. As a result, a large chunk of his efforts just seem to get blocked.

Here’s some more data for you. These are the average expected per goals 90 minutes (xG/90) figures for Manchester City this year and the past three years:

SeasonxG/90
2020/211.6
2019/202.5
2018/192.2
2017/182.1

It just seems like us holding De Bruyne at the moment is for three reasons: ability, history and fear. Yes, he may explode and get a game with a penalty, an assist and a goal. But the more you actually watch Manchester City, the further away such a haul seems given that Pep Guardiola is channelling his inner Louis van Gaal these days.

I myself haven’t made the decision whether I’m holding or selling him but I will need to before Gameweek 16. To fund Harry Kane (£11.0m) into my team, I either need to downgrade Jack Grealish (£7.8m) to Raphinha (£5.4m) or move De Bruyne to Son Heung-min (£9.7M). It’s fair to say that I’ll be scouting some players tonight and Sadio Mane (£11.9m) is also someone I am monitoring closely.

A lot of you will be on a Wildcard while reading this article and I’d like to reiterate and say that don’t have a single-minded, tunnel-vision focus on just the Blank and Double Gameweeks. Every Gameweek counts and focusing on just Gameweek 18 and 19 isn’t going to help you. I urge again to look at the fixtures for players you are bringing in on your Wildcard before Gameweek 18 and after Gameweek 19.

At the moment, I’m looking at going chipless in Gameweek 18 and maybe using the Triple Captain chip in Gameweek 19. It is with this thought that I recruited both the Manchester City centre-backs before Gameweek 15 so as to play them in Gameweeks 18 and 19, and I particularly like their fixtures from Gameweek 20-22.

I’ll briefly talk about captaincy in Gameweeks 16 and 17. Scanning through the fixtures, Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) and the Spurs attacking duo stand out as captaincy options. The game against the Cottagers seems like a more Kane than Son game as I expect Fulham to sit deep, which means more chances closer to the box for the England international.

That said, Fulham are on a bit of a resurgence and are in the best five teams for expected goals conceded (xGC) in the last four matches. Spurs, on the other hand, are second only to West Brom for expected goals (xG), but we’ve seen that this does not seem to matter with them too much because if they score, it is very highly likely that their premium FPL duo will be involved.

I just happen to trust Salah and Liverpool a lot more than Spurs at the moment, which is why Salah will likely have my armband in Gameweek 16. Unlike Fulham, Newcastle are in the worst five defences in the league for expected goals conceded in the last five matches.

Gameweek 17, though, is where I’m looking to captain a Spurs attacker. A match against Leeds United should be considered as a prime fixture for captaincy and on paper, this just looks like a Son game to me, given the space Leeds United offer their opposition. The one good thing about this game is that we know that Bielsa is stubborn about his style of play and we can rely on him to offer the opposition tonnes of space to run behind. This captaincy call in Gameweek 18 might be what influences my transfer decision later tonight, depending on how the games pan out.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading what is possibly my last article for the calendar year. Here’s hoping that 2021 is a much better year for all of us.

As a side note, I would like to thank Fantasy Football Scout for the opportunity to write for them and all of you for reading my articles, supporting me and always providing me with valuable feedback.

Given the year that we’ve had, I’d just like to add a small note on mental health. I haven’t had a good season from an FPL point of view (so far) but I’m slowly beginning to climb the table. That hasn’t affected my enjoyment of the game at all.

Firstly, those of you that are struggling should remember that at the end of the day, this is just a game and that is exactly how you should treat it. If you ask me personally, I’m really enjoying this challenge of a bad start and am simply focusing on making good decisions week on week.

One of the best things about this game is that it enables you to talk to likeminded strangers from all over the world and develop new friendships. That is the essence of the FPL community. That is the primary. The rank is secondary. A lot of you ask me about my rank goal and I personally feel it is too early to think about that. FPL is about assimilating information between Gameweeks and then making decisions. Focus on that and make good decisions and leave the rest to chance because the rest isn’t in your control.

Secondly, the ‘perceived’ bad luck appears greater than it is because of the slow-drip of games that we are witnessing. So if you do end up watching a lot of matches, you do end up seeing a lot of chances missed, which just leads to a greater tilt. Just know that on an average, it takes four to five chances for a player to score a goal and these single incidents become magnified in your head because in most cases, you are watching one game at a time. Expectation management during FPL is a thing so that you don’t drive yourself crazy.

 I repeat, it’s just a game.


What is FPL Upside Chasing and how can I implement it in 2020/21?
1,821 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    So many in my ml with zero bench, please let them be punished this GW

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

      I had zero bench this week till I brought in Holding for Lamptey. Happy with no bench most of the time but can see myself needing it this week.

  2. DagheMunegu
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez

    Robbo Zouma Coufal
    Salah Mané Bruno Raphina
    Kane Watkins Bamford

    Button Kwp Riedewald Branthwaite

  3. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Meslier nyland
    Zouma Alioski Taylor Bednarek Dunne
    Kdb Salah son grealish Fernandes
    DCL Bamford Brewster

    2 FT 0.0ITB

    A- Kdb -> Neto
    B- Kdb + Brewster -> Soucek + Kane
    C- something else

    B would mean benching DCL

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

    Is there a real possibility Vardy gets rested?
    Looking to fix up my bench in prep for GW 19 but worried Vardy doesn't start.

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

      Waiting for this guy to tweet it.

      https://twitter.com/seanfromenderby?s=09

    2. Ron_Swanson
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Very real possibility yes

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

    Starting Neto over DCL this week... right call?

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

      I’d start DCL

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

        With Digne and Rodriguez out, the supply line just isn't there atm - my reasoning for it

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

          Go for it, trust yourself. I’d do the same

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

      Impossible to say really...

    3. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Yes 100%

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

      Bottomed

      McCarthy
      Chilwell cresswell trent cancelo
      Salah (c) Bruno soucek kdb grealish
      Bamford

      Forster Watkins coufal Welbeck

      Correct bench order?

    5. MoSalalalalalalalalah
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Start which 2?

      A) Podence - MUN
      B) Watkins - CHE
      C) Chillwell - AVL

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

        B C

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

        AB. Chilwell will be benched. Not sure you get too much out of the other two anyway, mind.

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

          Lampard bench or your bench? If lampard bench, why..?

      3. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 3 months ago

          AC

        • MoSalalalalalalalalah
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Lol, well I've ended up with every possible answer. Thank you

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

        Why the love for Johnstone on WC? Anyone considering Pope?

        1. Jet5605
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Too expensive

        2. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Cheapest DGW GK

        3. Blzbobuk
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Mark from black box is going for both. Pope is a lot of money, Johnstone is cheapest double playing keeper(alongside Leeds) , playing twice and has an ok fixture I think in 17 which a lot don’t plus the big Sam effect.

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

        McCarthy
        Cancelo Chilwell Coufal
        Salah (c) KDB Bruno JWP Soucek
        Kane Bamford

        Steer Brewster J.Lewis Branthwaite

        1.3 itb, G2G? Will FH18

        1. Blzbobuk
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Looks good to me - I am moving out kdb to son until after the double but it’s easier with a wildcard.

      6. Jet5605
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Is Salah that better a (c) option than Bruno? Bruno at home whereas LIV away where Mane often prospers.

        1. Ron_Swanson
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Bruno C all day long for me

      7. Oldie99
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Any reason not to go -4 for this one week punt?

        KDB Richarlison OUT
        Kane(C) Rashford IN?

        Have Son, don’t have Bruno

        1. Blzbobuk
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          I would do it -captain move

        2. Denis Tueart on the wing
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Is Rashford not injured

          1. Oldie99
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Really??

      8. Footieboot
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Is Struijk going to play any games going forward? When are Cooper, Llorente expected to be back?

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

        Wildcard check free hit 18 bb19. Any tweaks or gtg?

        Fabianski Johnstone
        Robertson kwp zouma Justin Taylor
        Bruno Salah Son raphinha soucek
        Kane Bamford wood

        Punted on wood over adams for fixtures -possible Antonio if fit gw19
        Could juggle raphinha /Justin to have RJames/lookman but concern on his knee

        1. ballstoyede
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Quite similar to my WC team. I have a City defense over Zouma at the moment based on fixtures.

      10. MiguelAngel
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Two to start?

        A) DCL
        B) Welbeck
        C) Neto

      11. Free Hat
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Feels like the season whenever I own the standout cpt pick they blank and when I dont own them they usually haul.

        Gw3 : son (NEW) 1
        Gw4 : KDB (leeds) 2
        Gw6: salah (SHEF) 2
        Gw8: son (wbrom) 3
        Gw10:vardy (FUL) 5
        Gw13:kdb (WBROm) 4
        Gw15 : salah (WBROM) 2

        The ones I didnt own

        Gw8:kane 9
        Gw10:kdb 10
        Gw11:kdb 14

        So basically you could plan perfectly, have a great team with the right players, at the right time, but still bevvery reliant on luck on a perticular day/match.

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

          Prob offer the rest of the GWs to see your captain pick and the captain’s opposition. This only paints half the picture

          1. Free Hat
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            True.
            Cant deny I had every decision wrong, but still.
            Only ones right were salah gw1 and 2x bruno.

            But 7 standout cpt failures in gw15 is quite a lot.

      12. XABI 15
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Currently starting Mahrez and Werner this week.

        Would you do:
        1. Werner to Martial (play Mahrez)
        2. Werner to Firmino (")
        3. Werner to Adams (")
        4. Werner + Mahrez > Kane + Raphina / Barnes (-4)
        5. Werner + Mahrez > Son + Adams (-4)

        with an eye on gameweek 19

      13. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Would you bother using any chips if you could field:

        GW18: 8 players
        GW19: 8DGW’s + Dias, KDB & Son

        1. XABI 15
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          I would possibly consider TC in 19 but other than that you are good to go

      14. Vovhund
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Please rate this WC-team with BB GW19 in mind:

        McCarthy-Areola
        TAA-Justin-Dallas-Coufal-Taylor
        Salah-Bruno-Son-Soucek-Raphinha
        Kane-Bamford-Antonio

        Could go Kane to Vardy and Taylor to Reece James GW19.

        Antonio - I know... But I'm betting on him being ready for DGW 19

      15. Ronny Sandstone
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Are there any future DGW on the horizon with more than 2 teams possibly playing in the same GW, obviously this is a big one coming up, likely to be anything similar?

      16. drughi
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Play soucek or adams ?

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

          Adams

        2. XABI 15
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Adams

      17. Gabbiadini
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Please help me decide on a 2nd GK (not Martínez), 5th defender and 5th midfielder combination for 14.0... BB gw19.

        Cheers.

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

          without knowing your team

          Meslier/Johnstone
          Taylor
          Soucek

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

            I have Taylor

            So I was considering those options but with Alioski.

        2. potatoace
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Any 4.0gk
          Neco Williams 4.0
          Neto/Soucek

          =14m

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

            First two won't play, not good for a BB.

      18. Kodap
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Bottomed:

        Am I G2G? I've not made any changed, so am I good to bank the FT this week?

        Meslier
        Dier - Dallas - Taylor
        Bruno - Salah (c) - KDB - Soucek
        DCL - Kane - Bamford

        Bench order: Martinez - Stones - Coufal - Burke

      19. iL PiStOlErO
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        WC active. Will FH18 and BB19. Any major changes needed?

        Meslier
        Cancelo Dallas Taylor
        Salah Bruno Son Soucek
        Kane(C) DCL Bamford

        McCarthy Justin Coufal Romeu

        0.1 itb

        1. Vovhund
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Looks a lot like mine - and same strategy. You could do Cancelo to a Liverpool-defender by downgrading DCL. Mayby Kane to Vardy in GW19

          1. iL PiStOlErO
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Will definitivly think about that moves. Cheers mate and gl to us and our tactic.

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

        easiest save of a transfers this season

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

          hmm are you KDB owner?

          kind of feels this way and not convinced spurs will score too many vs Fulham - tempted to switch kdb to son

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

            Thing with Spurs is even if they score just 2, you can expect to get 3 returns from Kane and Son due to their high involvement rates.

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

              yes has been like that all season.
              winless in their last 4 so very hard to read
              a resolute fulham could be hard to beat
              do you own either?

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

            I have KDB and Son.
            No Kane only problem but would need to take a hit

      21. tabby98
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        WC TEAM (FH GW18 & BB GW19)
        Mccarthy, Johnstone
        Robbo, Coufal, Dallas, Justin, KWP
        Salah, Son, Bruno, Raphinha, Soucek
        Vardy, Bamford Adams

        GTG or Would you change something??

      22. Tshelby
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Burn a ft??
        Can’t see any obvious moves

        2FT 0.0 ITB

        Martinez
        Chilwell, KWP, Dias, Coufal, Kilman
        Grealish, Bruno, KdB, Salah, Soucek
        Bamford, DCL, Adams

      23. Pep Roulette
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Any chance we will get early team news for Leicester?

      24. Harper (No more Penandes)
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Play 2 of
        (but not Bowen and Soucek together)
        A) Bowen SOU (A)
        B) Soucek SOU (A)
        C) R James AVL (H)
        D) Dallas WBA (H)
        E) Bednarek WHU (H)

      25. The Red Devil
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Meslier nyland
        Zouma Alioski Taylor Bednarek Dunne
        Kdb Salah son grealish Fernandes
        DCL Bamford Brewster

        2 FT 0.0ITB

        A- Kdb -> Neto
        B- Kdb + Brewster -> Soucek + Kane (DCL benched)
        C- something else

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

          B

      26. Flynny
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Got rid of dcl and kdb last night.

        Kane and raphinha in and kept grealish and watkins for now

        Kinda regret those moves now

        Oh well. Good luck everyone

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

          Stick with it. You’ll be alright