Scout Reports

What can FPL managers expect from £5.5m midfielder Michael Olise?

New Crystal Palace signing Michael Olise (£5.5m) is an intriguing addition to the budget midfielder pool in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).

Arriving in the Premier League off the back of a season in which he delivered 19 attacking returns, Olise has been one of the more notable captures of the summer transfer window so far.

The attacking midfielder, 19, was signed by Crystal Palace for a reported £8m and becomes Patrick Vieira’s first signing for the club.

Upon Olise’s capture, Vieira said:

We have the tools in our football club to make him a better player, and we’ve known him quite well because he’s a player the football club have been following for a long time. I think it is important to refresh the squad, to bring some new faces, to bring young talent here, and this is a really good signing for us.

Olise boasts some eye-catching statistics from his time in the Championship, but can he be the ‘enabler’ many of us are looking for in FPL?

We assess his worth in the article below.

HISTORY AND STATISTICS

Born in Hammersmith, Olise started his youth career at Chelsea before joining Manchester City and then Reading in 2018.

He made his debut against Leeds United the following year, and went on to make 18 appearances in 2019/20, but it was last season when his name truly came to the fore as he scored seven goals and contributed 12 assists.

As a result of those performances, he deservedly bagged a trio of awards: EFL Young Player of the Season, and inclusion in the Championship Team of the Season as well as the PFA’s Championship Team of the Year.

CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS 2020/21

Appearances37 (7)
Minutes3264
Goals7
Assists12
Shots per game1.6
Key passes per game1.9
Crosses per game1.4
Dribbles per game1.3

Above figures taken from WhoScored

Only three Championship players created more chances than Olise (84), although it should be said that a large chunk of them (40) came from set plays – so it’ll be interesting to see whether he retains dead-ball duties in south London.

Another consideration is that all but 20 of his 71 shots were hit from outside the opposition area, so he’s not a true penalty-box lurker.

On the international scene, Olise has represented France at under-18 level, playing for them in the Toulon Tournament, but is also eligible for England, Nigeria and Algeria via his parentage. 

PROFILE

Olise is a creative, left-footed attacking midfielder, who was mainly used behind the striker as a no. 10 at Reading. 

However, he can also play as a traditional winger, and is especially dangerous when cutting in from the right.

As you can see from his 2020/21 heatmap, via Sofa Score, he operates all over the midfield third:

Technically excellent, he is a strong dribbler with an eye for a pass, and despite his age was Reading’s primary creator last season.

His defensive work isn’t great, and he possibly doesn’t track back enough, but he is still developing and his physical conditions should allow him to settle quickly.

THE PROSPECTS

“I had a conversation with the manager and he was talking about how he sees me in the team. I like to express myself, have fun, think creatively, dribbling — just free.”

Michael Olise

Palace finished 14th under Roy Hodgson last season, but are set for a major overhaul this summer.

As a result of this, we don’t yet have a clear picture of how they will line up, but tactically, it is expected that Vieira will opt for a more open, attacking style.

During his time in France he most typically used a 4-3-3, which would certainly make a lot of sense at Palace, at least initially.

Given that Eberechi Eze (£6.0m) probably won’t be fit until 2022 and that Vieira’s new squad is on the thin side, Olise should be in immediate contention to play a big role and help fill the creative void at Selhurst Park.

Naturally, he will need some bedding-in time, and the expectations of any player jumping from Championship to Premier League level needs to be realistic, which does suggest that this is probably best summed up as a ‘wait and see’ in FPL.

The Eagles’ awful early schedule, of course, is another reason to hold fire.

However, a total of 19 goal contributions across the 2020/21 campaign really does show the quality he has in the final third, and once Palace’s fixtures ease from Gameweek 11 onwards, he may well be someone we can target in the budget midfielder category – as Eze was towards the end of the season just gone.

And by that point, he may also have had a price drop or two – further enhancing his budget credentials.

83 Comments Post a Comment
  1. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Great signing

  2. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Arsenal losing 1-0

    #preseason

    1. Silecro
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Someone needs to tell them its not the real season yet

      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        😀

  3. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Aaaaaa. Kolasinac is still at Arsenal

    RIP Tierney

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I thought he was long gone! Everyone too scared to tell him he was released.

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Haha

    2. R.C
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Looks like Arteta's Arsenal will be another roulette much like Tuchel and Pep

  4. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Currently on Salah Bruno and Raph, who’s your 4th midfielder? Maddison for me so far, but obviously will change, not liking the 7.0 or below options. Buendia is catching my eye

    1. Rigid Digit
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Havertz or Mount (currently on Havertz).
      Also have Gilmour at 4.5 - could be worth a punt

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Looking to take a chance on Jota. Will depend on preseason games.

    3. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Sarr

    4. Joggers Nipple
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Have Salah, Bruno, Raph, Grealish and Saka at the moment. Really the last 2 there are place holders, looking around this price range myself. Seeing alot of Mahrez on here?

    5. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I have Salah, Bruno, Pepe, Buendia and Saka/Raphina at the moment

    6. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Buendia

    7. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Havertz atm

  5. schlupptheweek
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Who are the devilish picks who excite you, who you know will troll you this season? Mine are:
    Pepe
    Havertz
    Sarr
    Mahrez
    Werner

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Auba

      1. schlupptheweek
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        It would be very apt after last season if he got a haul vs Brentford

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Havertz

    3. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Buendia

    4. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Nacho, Tielemans, Buendia

      1. Clint Dempsey
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Whos nacho?

  6. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Buendia over Watkins?

    1. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Could have both for the first three fixtures

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Bit too much

        1. Johnny 8
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Probably. I prefer Watkins. Performed well last season.

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I like Watkins myself.

    3. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Going with both to begin I think or else downgrading Buendia to 4.5 and getting Toney as 3rd forward

  7. Joggers Nipple
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    First play around, any input welcome

    Sanchez
    Robertson, Shaw, Forfana
    Salah, Bruno, Raph, Saka, Grealish
    DCL, Watkins

    Foster White (other 4.5 if doesnt go to ARS), Ayling, 4.5fwrd

    Saka and Grealish not set on
    Grealish to Son and a playing 4.5 mid?
    Normally have a 4.5 mid but thinking go bigger in mid this year?

    Yes its early on but any initial thoughts welcome

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Looks nice

      1. Joggers Nipple
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers, loads will change but overall I like it.
        Would prefer TAA over Robertson, play around with the Saka and Grealish places. For now!

        1. Paqueta Rice
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          I have Robertson and VVD double up currently. Would love TAA myself.

          1. Joggers Nipple
            • 14 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            Keeping an eye on Gomez, think hes 5.0?
            Could be a cheap way into that def if they back to their best

            1. Paqueta Rice
              • 3 Years
              2 years, 8 months ago

              Doubt it, they signed that other Konate chap right? He is decent and will likely take that spot I reckon.

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Grealish to Barnes if fit and Leicester look settled?

      That would give you TAA and Barnes was very explosive last season. That could leave you the option of moving Saka money up top if you don't fancy 6.5 6.5 7.0 in midfield.

      Currently have Son here but restricting myself to less up front with a 6.5 type as my second forward unless I strip defence.

      1. Joggers Nipple
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers mate, will keep an eye on LEI

  8. El Presidente
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Premiums this season are going to be really tough to.pick if they all deliver; Salah, Bruno, KDB, Kane... tough

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I think as things stand it’s easy to ignore both Kane & KDB

      What will really throw things up in the air is either Kane signing for City, Haaland signing for Chelsea, or both

      I don’t think KDB’s at that top table tbf - he’s just not as reliable as the other guys

      But we could feasibly have Bruno, Mo, Kane, Haaland to choose from - which will probably lead to a lot of 4-4-2’s trying to fit in 3 of them

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      i also really fancy the almost premiums this year too:

      Werner, Havertz, Mahrez, Rashy, Sancho, Son

  9. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Arsenal losing 2-0 now

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      They are maintaining form.

  10. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    I feel like there's already a template forming:

    Sanchez - 4.0
    TAA - Shaw - 4.5 - 4.5 - 4.0
    Salah - Bruno - Raph - xx - xx
    Watkins - DCL/Antonio/Toney - xx

    xx depends on 343 or 352

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I don’t think we’ll see many teams without TAA, Shaw, Bruno, Mo, Raphinha come GW1 tbh (fitness permitting)

      Half of most teams will be completely homogenous

      1. Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        very excited by the 4.5m defenders and the remaining midfield slots, think thats where most ranks will come from tbh

    2. Joggers Nipple
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Agree and Im part of that template!
      One thing im going to do this year, dont start with unknown or new shiny toys! Get 'proven' players and move onto new ones later.
      Fell for that last year

    3. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      That is the the basic skeleton, tendons and muscle. Just to fill in the rest of the body.

    4. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      The big miss there and this is a FFS thing is Grealish

      He is extremely template generally - way more popular than Raph. There'll be a Euro effect at play of course but price point too. He was stunning last year and the match of the midpriced forwards I'd suggest but flies under the radar as he missed the last half/third of the season - a bit like Barnes.

      Shouldn't he be template?

      1. Moxon
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Depends where he goes.

        1. pingissimus
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          True

          The City squad is thin in numbers but think he'd be a fortune - would they go 100 mill plus? Pretty sure that's what Villa would ask.

  11. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Pepe pen miss!

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Ah no… *removes from draft

      😉

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Off watchlist 🙂

  12. CroatianHammer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    WHU squad split in 2 for two games today. A lot of fringe players getting a run out. Expect Conor Coventry to feature more in the first team this season.

  13. Emiliano Sala
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/klopp-van-dijk-liverpool-update-21040850

    VVD, have to remove you from my team 🙁 will come to you soon

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      TAA out

      1. RogDog_jimmy
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        I really want to not have TAA. More fun not having him and having more choices to make.

  14. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    ESR goal

  15. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    I'll sit on this draft a few days anyway and see how I feel. The big change for me is Grealish in. He was astonishingly good last year as a player even if less scintillating in FPL terms. Most obvious player to step up a whole new level? Interestingly absent from template here.

    Mes
    TAA Tierney Lamptey
    Mo Bruno Grealish Raph
    Bam Nacho Toney

    4.0 Rose (!) Gilmour 4,0

    Could trade in Mes to get Shaw but happy to roll with Tierney for now.

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      All in Leeds for you Pingi. Your squad is different, attack looks great.

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Could of course wait a week or so for Leeds and switch in from Villa.

        Experience last season though was that switches for fixtures among those players never quite worked out and it was better to just plump and hold.

        Lots of variables of course so still just playing around. But had a peek at comparative returns when Nacho appeared and rationally he should be everywhere. Grealish less of a FPL player I guess.

    2. R.C
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Lol where is Barnes

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Fall guy sadly.

        Could shift Toney back and downgrade Mes or simply upgrade Raph. It's about picking players and not teams but Nacho over Barnes logical?

        Leicester preseason is going to be fascinating. They Leeds and Villa are the two teams I'm most interested in.

    3. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I just took Grealish out of mine. Watkins will have to do...

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Quite possibly a better FPL option after all 🙂

        Part of me is reluctant to go Villa at all given that the dynamic of their attack will be quite different with Buendia in and all bets are off when looking at what happened last time out. Thought AVFC said they were also looking at a number 10 type which would add even more uncertainty into the mix.

    4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Ooof

      That's my full team but I have Shaw, Digne, Buendia for Tierney, Rose, Grealish 😆

      Great minds think alike lol

      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        BamBam to start and not bother about bringing him in later.

      2. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Just checked what Grealish actually did in FPL last time out and think I may have undersold him. 12 assists and 6 goals from 24 starts.

        Not so very far off prime KdB territory on a full season when looking at consistency of returns?

        1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah Grealish was a full on beast, a freak

          But Buendia had serious chance creation with Norwich in the PL, and 32 returns in 39 champo games… so hoping he can give a little slice of the Villa party as a Grelaish-lite

          And there might just be question marks of Grealish’s shin bones now too possibly

          Also hoping Buendia steps up for their next penalty

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            Perhaps the best argument for Buendia is that Villa haven't really had a deadball specialist and Grealish is the most fouled player in the league....

  16. FC Hakkebøf
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Made my first draft and went here to post it and get sine input. Seems like it is template AF. For good reason maybe. Any suggestions for changes?

    Sanchez
    TAA Shaw Fofana
    Salah Sanchez Grealish Raphina
    Iheanacho Watkins Toney
    ____
    4.0 Tierney 4.5 mid 4.0 def

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      All the teams are very similar I like the look of this , Foster, Lamphey, Williams

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Sorry Gilmour or Bissouma

      2. FC Hakkebøf
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Sanchez = Fernandes lol

        1. Dynamic Duos
          • 10 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah realised lol

  17. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    My team

    Sanchez
    TAA Shaw Digne
    Salah Bruno Raph Sarr
    Watkins Nacho Bamford

    Foster Lamptey Gilmour Williams

    1. FC Hakkebøf
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Bamford + Sarr will likely beat Toney + Grealish I reckon. Hmm...

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        And you gain 0.5m

        1. FC Hakkebøf
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      No Toney experiment for you, wait and see how he does...

  18. BROOKLYN GOONER
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    I thought that there were some players who went deep into Euros or Copa who might come back too late to start GW1. If I'm not just imagining that, is there a list somewhere? Planning to try BB GW1 this year, so really want 15 sure starters.

  19. Wild Card this!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    New post

  20. FC Hakkebøf
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    A) Toney, Grealish and Tierney
    B) Bamford, Sarr and Digne