Pro Pundits

Do we still need double City defence and is it time to sell Fernandes?

Currently sat at 694th in the world, Let’s Talk FPL’s Andy talks through some ideas for his own team and addresses some trending topics from within the Fantasy community.


Do we need double Man City defence still?

Cancelo finally delivers big haul as Gündogan shines in KDB's absence 17

This question is probably a lot easier to ask when you don’t own Rúben Dias (£6.1m), but as a John Stones (£5.2m) and João Cancelo (£6.2m) owner, I’m considering jumping off.

When I leapt on triple Manchester City back in Gameweek 18, I saw it as almost essential. Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) wasn’t starting very regularly and they had lots of Double Gameweeks on the horizon (as well as a game in Blank Gameweek 18). Fast forward a bit and Gameweek 27 is their last double and Laporte has started eight of the last 12 games in all competitions. Even going into Double Gameweek 27, I’m not confident of two starts and at that point a defender from another team can potentially do just as good a job and be nailed.

Antonio Rüdiger (£4.6m) seems like a potential ideal replacement. He’s cheaper and since Gameweek 19 hasn’t missed a single minute for Chelsea. In terms of goal threat, there isn’t much to split them when looking at all Gameweeks since Rudiger won his spot back.

andy-article-gw27

In that same time period, Chelsea have conceded 5.62 expected goals compared to Man City’s 6.70; both are elite defences.

There’s no real need to remove your defenders before Gameweek 27 but it’s something I’m thinking about in the long term, with a potential move for double Manchester City attack instead. Rüdiger seems like an ideal replacement, given the general points ceiling of the likes of Stones.

Free Hit could be better in Gameweek 33 than Gameweek 29

Originally I was looking at using Free Hit in Gameweek 29 but I think I’m pretty well set up for this already. Below shows the eight players that are playing in Gameweek 29.

As always, it’s quality instead of quantity and I think I have most boxes ticked (ignore the pun). With three transfers between now and Gameweek 29, I can cope with it quite easily.

With Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur blanking in Gameweek 33, I’m currently going to be left with five players without a game that take a big chunk of the budget. I could bench three but it would leave me with a lot of money outside of my starting XI.

As it stands, I wouldn’t be looking to sell these players as the fixtures either side of the blank from Gameweeks 31 to 35 are good for both teams:

Manchester City – Leeds (h), Aston Villa (a), Crystal Palace (a), Chelsea (h)

Spurs – Manchester United (h), Everton (a), Sheffield United (h), Leeds (a)

The Gameweek 33 fixtures have the potential for me to do something a little different with players from teams I might not have enough transfers to get to.

While I may or may not own Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) by this point, I’d definitely want him in for Leeds along with another Manchester United attacker. I currently don’t own any Aston Villa midfielder or forward, and while their run-in isn’t great, they do have West Brom in this Gameweek. Liverpool against Newcastle also means a double or triple-up could be profitable.

Could we drop Bruno Fernandes?

What did FPL managers learn from FA Cup fourth round matches

It seems stupid to even be considering dropping the highest-scoring FPL player and I’m sure most people will just skip this part, but it’s something I’m considering.

The way Manchester United set up against the traditional top six is to nullify the opposition while neglecting their own attack. I wouldn’t be surprised to see another blank against Manchester City, just as there was against Chelsea.

That then leaves West Ham followed by a blank in Gameweek 29. There’s potential to do something more interesting with the Fernandes money.

After that, he could be brought back in on a Wildcard or via free transfers. I look at Manchester United’s remaining fixtures and wonder where I’m going to captain him. In every week, there’s arguably another option that could be considered instead. Below are Bruno’s best fixtures with an alternative in brackets.

  • Gameweek 30 v Brighton (Kane v Newcastle)
  • Gameweek 32 v Burnley (Salah v Leeds)
  • Gameweek 33 v Leeds (Salah v Newcastle, although for me Fernandes would be Free Hit in most likely)
  • Gameweek 35 v Aston Villa (Kane v Leeds)
  • Gameweek 37 v Fulham (Kane v Villa)

Not captaining a heavy hitter doesn’t mean you have to sell them but if you’re trying to fit in a certain number of premium players, especially due to captaincy, then something may have to give.

Let me caveat all of the above by saying there’s good reason to keep Bruno Fernandes. Looking at xG per 90 minutes in the Premium Members Area, he is sat top of all midfielders who are playing regularly. That’s equal with Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) and just above Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m).

It would be a brave call to remove him but if you thought that De Bruyne could start realising his underlying statistics, and that Salah could get back to the form that saw him hit almost essential status earlier in the season, then perhaps backing them over Fernandes for captaincy could be a calculated risk-type move of beating the template.

Mohamed Salah is potentially worth keeping

It seems as though people are starting to get a bit frustrated with Salah. I’ve seen lots of comments talking about selling him, and definitely if there was a choice between him and Fernandes, then I know which one people would look to keep.

However, when you look a bit closer at the recent numbers, they’re quite promising. Yes, he’s blanked nine times in the last 12 games. But for those people that like to put emphasis on “form”, he’s also scored four goals in the last six. I am, admittedly, expecting a blank against Chelsea in the second game of the double.

His underlying statistics are promising too. Looking at players’ last six matches, he ranks second for expected goal involvement behind the hero that is Michail Antonio (£6.5m), and by the way, Raphinha (£5.4m)!

We need to see how Liverpool continue to perform without Jordan Henderson (£5.4m), but it’s promising that their full-backs are looking good on the eye again. In fact, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) has the highest expected goal involvement (2.03) over the last six matches and is getting forward a good bit with eight shots over that same time period.

Thinking ahead, Liverpool have a great run-in and it might be worth saving a transfer and keeping Salah for the longer term.

Selling any big hitter always feels risky and I wouldn’t want to put anyone off doing it, but with Fulham and Wolves to come, there might be better ways to spend your transfers while giving Salah time to pull through on his underlying numbers.

545 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Play up Kane (c) !

  2. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    3 benching for Stones in the last 8. Uncertainty looms

    1. FPL ElasticO
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Yeah with Laporte now stating every alternative games..... he is now more rotation risk.

    2. _Gunner
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      He's always been a rotation risk with Laporte back

    3. Sterling Archer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      add Ake to the mix!

  3. FPL ElasticO
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Are thee transfers worth doing for -4?

    Pope > 3.9 keeper & Barnes > Bale

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Thine transfers look thit.

  4. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Morning all...

    Which 1 to start please?

    A....pereira at Brighton

    B...dallas at West ham

    C.....coufal v Leeds

    And also - thoughts on Bruno to son until gw31 wildcard? (Already got kane)

    Thanks

    1. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Tough decision, personally I would go on form and go C..

      1. Warby84
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Team form.. Not necessarily player form..

    2. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      C for me

      1. Flynny
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Cheers.....pereira in has been a failure.....

        1. Nate(U)dog(ie)
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          I know the feeling, sold AWB for him for a hit along with a few other pitiful hits, lesson learned the hard way!

    3. _Gunner
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Coufal.

  5. Nate(U)dog(ie)
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    I've gone from considering losing Salah to highly considering a Salah + TAA double up from GW32, 6 out of Liverpool's last 7 are against teams in the bottom half. Will naturally depend on their form defensively as well but TAA has started to look a little bit better going forward again of late, then again he's been pretty poor so far this season so that's not a huge ask

    1. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      I have an eye on Jota. Can't afford TAA on the early WC31 mock draft I made so a Kabak-Jota-Salah triple up looks the most likely.

      1. Nate(U)dog(ie)
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        That sounds pretty good, I did a similar mockup to see if I could fit in KDB without destroying my team (while still holding Salah and getting TAA) and it seems doable for now but only takes a minute for a plan to collapse. The Jota-Salah double earlier seemed to do well so it could be a good differential for the end of the season

        1. Flair
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Impossible for me to fit in the big five. Looking at Salah, Kane, Son as locked in premiums from 31-33. KDB for (C) against Leeds (H) GW31 then sell him for Bruno ahead of the GW33 City blank for another (C) against Leeds (A).

  6. Party time
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Bruno blanked so well. Now we have to wait for DCL to follow in his footsteps

    • Athletico Underachieving
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      One of stones or cancelo is going by 33...Probs Stones.

      Also, B Traore worth a punt for a few weeks? Need a cheap Barnes replacement and minor differential

      1. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Yep

      2. CapK
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Would punt more on Raph / Lingard if you havnt got one as both play in 29, although cover needed in 28 for Lingard.

        Would also choose cancelo over stones, just due to money!

        Good luck!

      3. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        prefer Elghazi

      4. Nate(U)dog(ie)
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Villa have looked rather poor of late, I've gone from nearly tripling to just Martinez for now and apart from whenever they have their double I don't think I'm going to be bringing anyone else in unless things pick up

    • CapK
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      A) Bruno + Cancello > Kevin (C) + Dunk (-4)
      B) DCL > Antonio
      C) Roll Transfer,

      Kevin the clear captain the next 2 Game weeks imo,

      1. marcos11
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        C

      2. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Rawhide!

    • Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Everyone tries to find an excuse to keep Salah
      Everyone tries to find an excuse to sell Bruno

      Repeat.

      1. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Everyone actually means just some people, doesn't it?

        1. Holmes
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          yep

        2. Ginkapo FPL
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Exactly, everyone

        3. CRAZY TRAIN
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          People are people

    • Netters2018
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      I still have my FH but only have 6 players (areola, targett, dier, Kane, raphina, bamford) for GW29 is this enough? or should I just use my FH rather than save? I dont really want to bring anyone else in for the sake of that GW. I do like the looks of GW33 for FH aswell!

      1. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        you have 3FTs till then, use it to field a decent GW29 team

      2. Kabayan
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        I am going with 7 or 8 (-4) for 29. Doing FH in 33.

    • Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      I remember the days when seeing Fulham (H) for Salah meant a guaranteed return or two

    • RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      What to prioritize?

      A) sell DDG for fodder (to free up funds)
      B) DCL to Bamford
      C) Barnes to Jota

      Martinez DDG
      Dias Stones Digne Dallas Targett
      Salah Bruno Raphina Barnes Gundo
      Kane DCL Watkins

      1. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Barnes out for sure

    • Silecro
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      9 players for 29 without hits enough? For more i would have to get rid of Bruno, Salah, Gundo, Dias... Which im not inclined to do

      1. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        All good

    • Party time
        3 years, 26 days ago

        How many players do we think will be enough for gw29?

        1. Flair
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Who you have more important than how many. Kane, Son, Bamford and Raphinha should be in every team for that week.

          1. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            8-9 at least

            1. Party time
                3 years, 26 days ago

                Yeah. I’m considering 8-9 good options

          2. Peskey
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            I will also have 8-9. Rather than fielding 11 and then forced to use valuable transfers to get rid of the Fulham, Brighton and Newcastle players you don't want anymore after GW29.

          3. diesel001
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Just have the highly owned players and you will be fine:

            Martinez
            Dallas Cresswell
            Son Raphinha
            Kane Bamford Watkins

          4. Ruinenlust
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            11

          5. sledger
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Hope to dead end with 11 then wc gw 30/31

        2. Azathoth
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Meslier - Cresswell - Rudiger - Soucek.....Play BB this GW or not?

          1. MightyGar
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Yes. I just played mine and although it didn't work I feel relief I don't have to worry about it any more. All should play, so minimum 8 points with potential for up to 20.

        3. JohannaAdams10
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Would you do Sterling to De B for a hit

          To unable to captain him for double game week or take another chance on Sterling?

        4. marcos11
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Best Barnes replacement? 8.3itb and FH29.

          a) Grealish (Villa triple up)
          b) Mount
          c) Maddison
          d) Play Raph this week and roll FT til next week to solve it then

          1. Azathoth
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            D

          2. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            D

          3. Nate(U)dog(ie)
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            D, Grealish could still be out, Maddison seems certainly likely to be out if reports are true, I think Mount is a decent option especially with Leeds in GW28 in mind but that can wait and a better option might reveal itself before then

          4. marcos11
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Pretty conclusive, thanks!

          5. MightyGar
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            D

        5. Parsnips
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Stones > Dias and Pope > Fabri?

          Martinez
          Stones Cancelo Digne
          Salah Bruno Gundogan Raphinha
          DCl Kane Bamford

          Pope Barnes Coufal Holding

        6. Mr. O'Connell
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Woke up from a dream where I'd triple captained Bruno and he blanked twice including a missed pen. Have to say I'm very grateful for the two clean sheets now.

          1. Nate(U)dog(ie)
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            And no YCs either which he really should have gotten, 18 points is a hell of a difference from 3 or even less which could have happened

            1. Mr. O'Connell
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              Testify. I'm certainly counting my blessings this morning.

          2. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            The sheets were clean.

            1. The Knights Template
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              After Mr O'Connells dream.

              1. The Knights Template
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 26 days ago

                Where Bruno blanked.

                1. The Knights Template
                  • 10 Years
                  3 years, 26 days ago

                  And O'Connell.......woke up.

        7. Nate(U)dog(ie)
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Play one of the following:

          A) Ricardo (Brighton)
          B) Raphinha (West Ham)
          C) Burn (Leicester)
          D) DCL (Chelsea)

          Think I'm leaning towards Raphinha despite having Cresswell but could also see a clean sheet somewhere in the Brighton- Leicester game

        8. estheblessed
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Really thinking of WC to this. Is now a good time? Is this a good squad for the run?

          Martinez / Johnson
          Rudiger, Dias, Konsa / Dallas, Johnson
          KDB, Gundo, Salah, Lingard, Son
          Kane, Antonio / Bamford

        9. Do I Not Like Orange
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Raph or Saka for Barnes replacement?

          1. marcos11
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Raph imo

          2. MightyGar
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Raph

          3. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Has to be rapha

        10. George James
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Play one

          A) Lowton

          B) Shaw

          1. MightyGar
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            A

        11. DonBenzema
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Big question... I’m without FH for BGW29 and BGW33

          Lingard or Raphinha?

          (Would be able to cover Lingard blank in GW28)

          1. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Raph

          2. MightyGar
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Raphina, due to slightly better fixtures in 29 and 30

          3. JabariParkersEyelid
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Going Lingard, but will also buy Raph for 29.

            Lingard playing Leeds is too tempting for me.

        12. Sz21
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          1. Save.
          2. Watkins -> Antonio. Lots of upside even with the possible extra game for Villa.
          3. Bruno + Stones -> KDB + White. (-4, Exact cash- a bit risky).

          *Martinez.
          Shaw, Cancelo, Stones.
          Salah, *Raphinha, *Son, Gundo.
          *Kane, *Watkins, *Bamford.
          *Areola, Bruno, *Dallas, *Burn.
          0.1m ITB. No chips remaining.
          8 players for 29 atm

          1. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Save

        13. Plagued by indecision
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          Building to 29/30 with FTs (WC31, FH33), and seriously contemplating ditching Bruno. I was talked out of it yesterday but have woken up with a renewed desire to do so.

          Son or Bale seem the obvious candidates. I will have 11 for GW29 with a single 4-point hit.

          Martinez / Pope
          Shaw / Cancelo / Stones / Targett / Dallas
          Salah / Bruno / Gundogan / Raphinha / Lookman
          Bamford / Kane / DCL

          1. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Son

        14. Davidwes
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          I removed Bruno for the double gameweek and everyone was saying I was mad. Quite fun to hear people discussing if they should get rid of bruno now after a couple of blanks.

          1. Ruinenlust
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            You removed him for Barnes who got 1 point LOL

            1. FantasyClub
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              Lmao did he now! And he has the nerve to gloat wow

          2. @persecuted_by_mods
              3 years, 26 days ago

              1 person replied to you and said it was mad

              1. Now I'm Panicking
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 26 days ago

                Yeah - "everyone"

            • The Knights Template
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              Everyone was actually just a few people, wasn't it? I think we're dealiing with a garden variety solipsist here.

              1. Davidwes
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 26 days ago

                Well pretty much everyone in the comminity was saying that tho. Also, yes one person said it here, but that isnt the whole world is it? Yup i took in barnes and he got injured which whas a bit dificult to calculate.

                1. FantasyClub
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 26 days ago

                  So you’re gloating after removing him for a 1 pointer!? Lmfao

                  1. Davidwes
                    • 4 Years
                    3 years, 26 days ago

                    Yeah I think you are missing the point. I believe people sometimes almost create certain rules that spreads around the community such as x player is essential but if they only blank for 2 gameweeks which can happen, everyone turns their heads to a new player.

                    1. FantasyClub
                      • 3 Years
                      3 years, 26 days ago

                      Umm no I’m not. You’re literally gloating about getting rid of a player for a fail transfer. Your other mistake was getting Barnes in the first place. If you watched how they performed without Maddison in the Europa you would know what I’m talking about. Barnes was on my radar til the Maddison injury and I wasn’t the only one on here telling people NOT to get Barnes as a result of the Maddison injury either.

                      1. Davidwes
                        • 4 Years
                        3 years, 26 days ago

                        Fair enough if you did that scouting and your gut was right. I have never spoken about my transfers, only about fernandes in these comments. However I still have Kane left for this match, he was the main reason I got rid of Bruno, not barnes.

                        1. FantasyClub
                          • 3 Years
                          3 years, 26 days ago

                          Fair enough. Good luck mate

            • Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              One of life's great winners for sure

          3. Mufc202020
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Getting fed up of owning Watkins! Is it worth a hit taking him out for someone like Antonio or Diagne?

            1. Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              Probably not. May have a DGW soon, and Grealish back imminently

            2. The Knights Template
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              Stick for the moment. Unfortunately

          4. Karan14
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            Is there anyone worth considering from Villa except Martinez if they get a double in GW28?

            Even when Grealish was playing they were not doing well and Spurs in GW29 is doesn't look too promising for returns.
            Their fixtures from GW29/31 onwards also look the worst on paper.

            1. The Knights Template
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              Who are you to resist a DGW?

          5. The Mighty Whites
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 26 days ago

            1FT, 0.5 ITB, thoughts?

            Martinez, Pope

            Cancelo, Dias, Dallas, Coufal, Lowton

            Salah, Fernandes, Son, Gundogan, Raphinha

            Kane, Bamford, Antonio

            1. The Knights Template
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 26 days ago

              Save