FPL

FPL team guide 2021/22 – Newcastle United: Best players, stats and more

Our team-by-team guide to the new Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season continues with this preview of Newcastle United.

We’ll delve into the Magpies’ numbers in the article below but remember that you can conduct your own FPL research into Steve Bruce’s side with our comprehensive Opta player and team data in our Premium Members Area.

FPL price reveal and launch reaction from three-time top 200 finisher Lateriser 1

DEFENSIVELY SUSPECT

TotalRank v other Premier League sides
Goals conceded6216th
Clean sheets718th
Shots conceded57219th
Shots in the box conceded35017th
Shots on target conceded18817th
Big chances conceded73=12th
Expected goals conceded (xGC)58.7317th

There isn’t much to champion in the Newcastle defence based on last season’s evidence.

United were in the bottom four for everything from shots allowed to expected goals conceded (xGC), with only relegated Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion keeping fewer clean sheets.

Aside from the obvious point about the modest quality of players at Bruce’s disposal, there were a number of significant reasons for the creakiness at the rear.

One factor was player unavailability.

Newcastle were the only Premier League club who didn’t have a single player banking 30+ starts (see above), with the constant chopping and changing at the back – mostly enforced by injury and a particularly damaging coronavirus outbreak at the club – unsurprisingly affecting the collective defensive displays.

First-choice goalkeeper Martin Dubravka (£4.5m) started just over a third of the Magpies’ league matches, club captain Jamaal Lascelles (£4.5m) was missing for exactly half of the campaign and midfield shield Isaac Hayden (£4.5m) was bedridden by COVID-19 and then missed the run-in through injury.

Centre-half options Federico Fernandez, Fabian Schar, Ciaran Clark and Paul Dummett (all £4.5m) also had significant periods on the sidelines.

Another aspect is the ghost of Rafael Benitez.

Bruce has repeatedly made noises about moulding Newcastle into a more attacking unit ever since his appointment two years ago, in a desperate attempt to escape the shadow of his more-revered predecessor.

Benitez favoured a pragmatic approach with the limited squad members available, with Newcastle finishing among the top eight teams for fewest goals conceded in both 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Bruce’s fixation on putting his own stamp on the club has resulted in the Magpies shipping a combined 25 more goals in the subsequent two campaigns, with a Gameweek 30 formation switch last season his latest attempt to shake things up.

3-5-2: MORE ATTACKING, LESS SECURE

795 Comments Post a Comment
  1. thewakka
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    If Kane goes to City how do you reckon he will play. Full 90 every game? Penalties?

    1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Most games 90, subbed at 70 occasionally.
      Yes, pens

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Almost all the time. But then I’ve only ever known him as a Spurs player.

    3. _Freddo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Pep is not going to pay 100m+ & rotate him, he'll play most weeks like KDB & Dias do.

    4. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Same as Aguero when he was fit.

    5. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      won't happen

  2. Old Bull
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    I’ve opted for Ederson instead of TTA or Robertson. Bad move?

  3. DannyDrinkVodka
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Choose one to start the season with:

    A) Cavani
    B) Sancho

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

      Easy B

      1. DannyDrinkVodka
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers, he's in

  4. DannyDrinkVodka
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Sanchez Steele
    TAA Robbo Cancelo Shaw Lamptey
    Salah Sancho Buendia ESR Brownhill
    Watkins Antonio Wilson

    4-3-3 with ESR first on bench looks like a good way to start the season

    1. DannyDrinkVodka
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Now considering changing Antonio/Wilson to Cavani/Toney for the Cavani/Sancho/Shaw triple up

  5. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Headline: Sancho the 'generational' player who could be a bargain for UTD.

    The junk the media feed people, guess they cater to the dimwit market.

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

      The brownosing guff they were pumping out about Southgate before and during the Euros was genuinely vomit inducing

      You’d wonder how some of these articles get published at all

    2. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Use some discernment then. The best premier league analyst on Twitter has just been hired by the BBC. This is quality:

      https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57943489

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

        Read that article on the BBC site and thought it was quality too

        1. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Are you on Twitter? He's "Premier League Panel" - I discovered it for Euro2020. His tactical analysis is the only thing you ever need read. Astonishing quality. In real life he's a junior doctor or trainee doctor.

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

            Might get a new profile there perhaps - my real life one is somewhat cluttered - but it could be more efficient just to let all the good stuff to filter through elsewhere rather than go hunt it myself. 🙂

  6. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    West Ham fielding their first team Vs Celtic (except Coufal/Rice)

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

      Crystal Palace fielding their first team against Ipswich (except the 5 players they are yet to sign)

    2. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      The conceded once their best defender Oggy went off. No. Their first choice CM pairing is also absent.

  7. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Ssancho dropped for lingod at this rate

  8. JD @JDCochran2
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Captaincy Sheet tracks all of the top Mods and Cons + the top overall FPL (C) totals, to help you with your (C) each week.

    Overall Captain Champion recieves $100!

    Gives us a follow so you can see each week their picks and (C) totals!

    @PremierFPLTools
    JD@JDCochran2

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16EmCT_TXszZhL8F7XEDoz6oYT-h5NuFb-92-Letw5qI/edit?usp=sharing

  9. 3 A
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Best apps to get livescore and teams lineup?

    Sofascore didnt have Lei line up right now. They play in closed door?

  10. FPL Joker
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Who is the first choice Norwich keeper and his first back up? I was on Sanchez but don’t believe Steele is his first back up any more.

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

      Krul first choice and I believe McGovern is the backup. Not sure if Gunn , new signing will overtake McG

  11. Stranger Mings
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    please help on bruno less team or team with him?
    Team A without
    Sanchez - foster
    Fofana - Shaw - digne - TAA - manq
    Salah - Buendía - ESr -raph - soucek
    Kane - nacho - Watkins
    Team B with Bruno & changes*
    Sanchez - foster
    Shaw - fofana - TAA - manq - omob*
    Salah - BRUNO - ESr -raph - biss*
    Kane - success* - Watkins

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

    Hello, any chance of rating my team? Thanks, your thoughts are appreciated!

    Sánchez/ederson
    AWB/Días/Robertson/White
    Salah/Sancho/Buendía/Gundogan/Harrison
    Idah/Watkins/DCL

    Am I missing the boat with no Bruno or Son? Would Jesus up front be crazy?

  13. El Betico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Hello, any chance of rating my team? Thanks!
    Sánchez/ederson
    AWB/Días/Robertson/White
    Salah/Sancho/Buendía/Gundogan/Harrison
    Idah/Watkins/DCL

    Am I missing the boat with no Bruno?

  14. ErhanH
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    CALLUM WILSON MY HERO

  15. Fpl Old Guard
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Top 3K any year league code “lacz6l”. Aiming to create a worlds best league.

  16. Mr Pwps
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 7 months ago

    My ever-changing lineup now sports the following Front 3 - Watkins, DCL, and Callum Wilson.

    Watkins and DCL are well-supported choices so far but CW seems to be going under the radar... or is he? Is he a shrewd pick or a shite one?

    Keen to hear your thoughts.

  17. Stranger Mings
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 7 months ago

    Please RMT? Sanchez - foster
    Shaw - amartey - TAA - white - omob
    Salah - BRUNO - ESr -raph - jota
    Antonio - Toney - Ings/DCL

  18. RamaLangaDingDong
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 7 months ago

    Newcastle fans:
    - Can you make any case for including Jacob Murphy in your teams?
    Slighty more expensive than the average bench fodder but easy enough to downgrade and may offer a bit more attacking threat?
    Has played the most minutes in pre-season but is this due to other injury/unavailability?
    How nailed would you say he is...?

    Cheers!
    Mr. DingDong

  19. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 7 months ago

    Son firing as well

    Gonna be a tough old season

  20. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 7 months ago

    How did Bergwijn miss that?

  21. Zoostation
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 7 months ago

    Elliott and Mane have been atrocious

  22. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Docoure is a beast