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. Pirlø's Pen
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    What do we think of this lot?

    Boring but should be effective.

    Sanchez
    TAA Robertson Digne Shaw
    Salah(c) Fernandes Raphinha Buendia
    Watkins Antonio

    4.0 Lamptey Brownhill Obafemi

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

      Yeah, as you say, solid, template, decent.

    2. Athletico Underachieving
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Pretty much identical to mine but I’ve gone Fofana instead of Robbo and Toney instead of Obafemi

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

      Literally on that exact team myself.

      Considering Toney for Antonio with 1.0 in the bank ready to move.

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

    Wilson tempting.

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

      He is, as Toon's talisman. But they don't create enough chances, especially compared with Villa, Leeds, Leicester, Hammers and others with strikers in his range.

  3. Fernando Torres
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Thoughts on Sancho at 9.5m?

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

      In my team

      1. Fernando Torres
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Ye I think so too

      2. Fernando Torres
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Who do you think best 5.5m defender is apart from Shaw?

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

          Digne for nailed-on-ness; otherwise, Stones.

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

      Makes it irresistible to replace Bruno for him.

    3. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Tempting, but will rather wait and see on how quickly he adapts to the league.

    4. CRAZY TRAIN
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Decent swap out options in Son and Havertz at that price point if he doesn’t deliver . He’s worth a punt imo

    5. DeathoftheParty
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Gunna wait and see... Hopefully he'll be tumbling in the box twice a game and Bruno's price tag will be a steal

      1. el polako
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Last season he won a total of 0 (zero) penalties for Borussia.

        1. DeathoftheParty
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Think they'll be s fee more tryna give him a kick in the prem

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

    Second draft. It’s different to a lot of drafts I’ve seen on here. Thoughts?

    Sanchez
    Trent Shaw Chilwell
    Salah Sancho Mahrez Raphina
    Watkins Antonio Toney

    Foster Lamptey Ayling Brownhill

    1. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Mo perm capt then.

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

        Yep. Over the first few weeks I think that’s a pretty viable strategy.

        1. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          GL

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

            TY

    2. zes
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      How many starts are we expecting Chilwell to get in the first ten games?

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

        Difficult to call. I think the same can be said for the majority of Chelsea players. The two 4.5s on my bench are there for cover. Chilwell rarely comes on if benched so it feels like a reasonable punt.

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

    Please RMT?
    Sanchez - foster
    Fofana - Shaw - digne - TAA -
    Salah - Buendía - ESr - raphinha- soucek
    Kane - nacho - Watkins

    MID 0.0 0 133 MUN (A)
    View player information

    Norwich
    Omobamidel

  6. kobewan
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    A. Bruno Less
    Sanchez(Foster)
    Robbo Digne Lamptey (Nour Omo)
    Salah Sancho Son Rap (Brownhill)
    DCL Watkins nacho/Wilson/Antonio

    B. Son Less
    Sanches(Foster)
    TAA Lamptey White (Nour Omo)
    Salah Bruno Sancho Rap (Brownill)
    Watkins Toney nacho/Wilson/Antonio

    Which way?

    1. Soto Ayam
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      A is very nice if Sancho kicks on.

  7. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Thoughts on Mason Mount(7.5) as a set and forget?

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

      Not prolific enough for me. Will assess Chelsea GW7 and see if he's impressed me. Until then, nasty fixtures are a deterrent.

      1. Philosopher's Stones
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Scored 137 and 147 points last two seasons, and will probably get better. Also seems to be the most nailed Chelsea mid as well. But yeah, as you say, intial fixtures as not kind. Will probably wait and see I guess.

    2. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      no from me
      Prefer Raphina and Buendia as set and forget tbh

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

      maybe on WC

    4. Dr. Rog
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      is in my ghost team, but may struggle to make it into my real team where i'll be looking at higher ceiling players for that 7.5 mid slot (Jota, Pepe, Greenwood, Foden, Torres etc etc) who have fixtures + get a run in their respective teams due to form/injury

      this what somewhat interesting
      https://twitter.com/nevermind721_/status/1413799517007319041/photo/1

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

      He’s an unreal footballer and does all hard work in the build up, everything goes through him but he’s always been someone who assists the assister. Very important player for chelsea but just not a prolific FPL player, that’s why he’s. 7.5M player who plays CAM for a top 4 team.

    6. kobewan
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Like all England players who played some massive minutes last Euro's, might play until GW3 or 4 add the not so postive fixtures, Will be on my watchlist..

    7. el polako
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Rather stretch 1m more and get Havertz should Chelsea not buy recognised CF.

    8. LangerznMash
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I believe his creativity stats were among the top 5 in the league however poor finishing (mainly Werner!) resulted in only getting 7 assists.
      Wouldn't touch Chelsea assets until GW 7 though due to difficult fixtures.

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

      Mason Mount and his 7.5 starting price in Chelsea’s attack is a good way to think of Raphinha at 6.5 in Leeds’ attack:

      Since Raphinha’s first Leeds start (GW9-38)
      - Mount - 26 starts, 3 subs - 5G 4A
      - Raphinha - 26 starts, 1 sub, 6G 9A

      Goals scored last season:
      - Chelsea: 58
      - Leeds: 62

      They’ve made a genuine mistake with Raphinha

  8. Fernando Torres
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Sanchez
    Chilwell TAA Shaw Coufal
    Salah Son Sancho Grealish
    Toney Watkins

    Subs: Lamptey, Gilmour, Obafemi, Steele

    Thoughts?

    1. Soto Ayam
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Nice. However, I'd try to find the money to upgrade Toney. Coufal to a 4m Def?

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

    Who are the 100% nailed on 4.5 defenders?

    1. zes
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Coady and Ayling are the only ones I can think of, though I'm not sure about promoted teams.

    2. DeathoftheParty
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Lowton as well maybe

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

      Plenty at the promoted clubs

    4. Lovren an elevator
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Ayling, Coady, Lamptey (?!), Sierralta, Hanley, Aarons, Jansson

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

    I vividly remember the hesitation around these parts about having Salah from the get go after his 15G 13A season before joining Liverpool and being handed a 9.0 price tag, i went with him and had him for the whole of his record breaking season. Not saying Sancho will reach anything near those heights, but with United fixtures, he will definitely be in my side.

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

      Can always bring him after 3-4GWs if required, doesnt fit in my structure

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

      It's the Bruno to Sancho cash surplus move that I think is most tempting.

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

      He should definitely start causing problems for defences from the get go

      In terms of RPL a thouh - Shaw + Bruno = 100% set piece coverage, 5 points per Cleansheet & 35-40 XGi between them

      If Utd/Sancho start well - so will they 🙂

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

        Yeah bruno + shaw decent options. Shaw returns will be affected by Sancho if he plays out left.

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

          Sancho much more likely to play on the right

          Shawbertocarlos will bomb forward like a madman & take corners & IFKs regardless of whether it’s Rashford, Pogba, Sancho, Martial or Greenwood in front of him

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

            I’m not worried in the slightest about Shaw/Bruno. Im confident Sancho can offer a consistent amount of returns for his price. I’m more than happy to bank the 3M

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

              That’s the best position to be in in FPL imo - when you have that confidence it’s easy to just make the decision & move on - so much easier to take it on the chin if/when it goes wrong as it’s solely your own decision

              I have the same confidence about Shaw & Bruno - absolutely perfect duo for FPL - can’t believe they’re only 17.5

              Bruno alone looks an easy 15G 15A, possibly 20 of each if he/Utd really get going

              I think Utd set for big things this year

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

              Ooof - not even worried in the slightest?

    4. Captain Kakaroto (I blame R…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Same here re Salah. Although, I think that the difference here is that Liverpool was built to Salah strengths, while I can’t see United building their whole game on Sancho (too many good players around him to do so).
      Your opinion on that ?

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

      Not weighing in on Sancho (I haven't really seen him play much at all), but I think people are overrating the Man U fixtures massively.

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

        Based on what? Leeds Newcastle first 2 at home. United put 6 past Leeds and 3 past Newcastle last season at home, and 4 away to NUFC.

        Southampton away game 2. Man united have scored 14 in the last 3 games against them.

        As far as fixtures go, MUFC have a perfect start and nobody is overrating the fixtures. They are great

        1. zes
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Soton and Newcastle are the only good games in the first 11 matches. Leeds were a far better defensive side after Christmas and will be even better this year. Apart from that it's Wolves, West Ham, Villa, Everton, Leicester (all decent defensive sides and most people on here have at least two defenders from these teams) then Liverpool, Spurs, City. Don't see where the hauls are coming from personally.

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

            Whilst I fully expect Bruno to outscore Sancho, that 2.5m difference should more than close the gap. It enables a decent squad with Salah, Sancho and either KDB or Kane.

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

              or Salah, Sancho and Bruno...

            2. zes
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 8 months ago

              Tbh you're probably right. Just personally I like to watch a player before picking them and I haven't really watched Sancho play.

    6. Rochdale_Cowboy
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Absolute crazy talk!cant even get in the England team in front of Saka.

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

        Nor could Grealish - what on earth is Pep thinking?

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

    Media just guessing at this stage 😆

    Manchester City have reached an agreement with Jack Grealish and are ready to offer Aston Villa £90m for the England attacking midfielder, 25. (Football Insider)

    Manchester City say reports they have agreed a £160m deal for Tottenham striker Harry Kane are nonsense. (Manchester Evening News)

    Tottenham maintain they have no intention of selling the 27-year-old England captain this summer. (Football London)

    Although Kane is increasingly confident Tottenham are willing to let him move on. (Times)

    Manchester City have agreed personal terms with Kane of £350,000 a week and are willing to bid as much as £120m. (Star)

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      This is going to go right to transfer deadline, isn't it ?

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

        Yup looks like it’s going to be the equivalent of Sancho to Man Utd last year (where the papers report it as “almost done” every day for 2 months then say “oops sorry we got that wrong” at the end)

        His first City start might only be GW4 vs Leciester on 11 September (post international break)

        25 year old Grealish at 90m looks more realistic than 28 year old Kane at 160m - fits in better with Pep’s fetish for midfielders

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

        I was shocked to learn that's 3 weeks into the season. Gonna be a ton of wildcards played then.

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

          I thinking my first Wildcard is already being earmarked to deal with Kane moving to City

          If it’s not all done & dusted for GW1 could be better to just assume he’s not going, start without, then Wildcard the team apart if it’s not going well & he goes

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

            I've reverted to my without-Kane draft for now. I had intended to prepare a squad to go indefinitely rather than set a date to WC. Then I figured GW7 was the sweetspot. Now I think I might set up just for the first 3 GWs, loading up on Villains and suchlike if it looks like there will be dramatic transfer activity after the season starts. It's not just Kane - it could be Lew coming to Chelsea. Will need 'em both!

  12. Fernando Torres
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    A) Son + Coufal + Lamptey + Gilmour (one of couf and lamptey always start)
    B) Dele + Raphina + Robertson + Manquilo (one of Dele + Raph always start)

  13. RichRover
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    If Kane goes to City will you try to shoehorn him into your team?
    If so, who misses out?
    A. Salah.
    B. Fernando.
    C. TAA.
    D. Kaneless.

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

      Sorry if this has already been flogged

    2. DeathoftheParty
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Bruno probably. Kane will probably score 8 GW2

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

        Would you be looking to bring in Greenwood in his place?

        1. DeathoftheParty
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Probably Sancho at his price. Need to see where Greenwood is starting. Hoping Utd realise he should be a no.9 and score millions.

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

            Hopefully preseason gives us the answer

  14. DeathoftheParty
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    If Utd ship Pogba to PSG for dough and sign Varane they've had a bit of worldie really. I'm not sayin that Pogba isn't a top player... But after all this chat over two years surely Utd fans just want it over with.

    1. jia you
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      as long as we sign a top mid to replace him...if not far from a worldie for me

  15. Toney reservations
    Ruth_NZ
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Seems like there's a fair old bandwagon about Ivan Toney [Brentford, 6.5m] with many talking as if he's a good thing. So thought I'd take a look at his prospects.

    First things first: you can't equate Championship performance with PL potential, just can't. Of the last 7 teams promoted via the playoffs, 5 were immediately relegated again and the other two came mighty close. You have to go all the way back to Palace in 2013 to find one that secured a safe mid-table finish. So, Toney is playing for a club that it is highly likely will be mired in a relegation scrap at best, based on historical precedent.

    OK, so how have the key attackers from the last 10 teams promoted via playoffs done? Not well in the main. Not one surpassed their Championship goals record in the PL the following season and most were way down. In total, those 10 players had 192 goals in the promotion year and 61 in the first PL season*. So, a 68% drop-off. Toney had 33 goals last season; if he hits the average he'll score 10 PL goals next season. It's true that none of those 10 players scored as many as Toney but many were not far off; Murray 30, Mitrovic 26, Abraham 25. It stands to reason really; Brentford were able to overwhelm a lot of teams last season but it will be a rarity for them to be able to do the same in the PL. Not every promoted team is a Leeds. In fact very few are.

    Were Brentford an unusually capable attacking team last season? No. They scored 79 goals. 21 teams in the previous 10 seasons in the Championship did the same or better. It's a fairly typical number for a promoted team.

    I will leave an analysis of Toney's game to others; I haven't watched him enough and don't think the stats from last season mean much for the reasons already given. But it seems to me that his bandwagon has wobbly wheels. Maybe he'll be the rarity that proves the rule, he could be a Charlie Austin or a Teemu Pukki (though even Pukki had a very long dry spell after a fast start). But he could just as easily be an Abel Hernandez or Cameron Jerome. He's no sure bet.

    * Includes Abraham's goals for Chelsea after top-scoring when Villa were promoted. All the others stayed at the same club.

    1. DeathoftheParty
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Great analysis

    2. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Assists not mentioned, if he gets 10-15 goals and 5-10 assist that would be a decent return or not ?

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

        More accurately, it's 10 goals and 3 assists using the average 68% regression rate. Or if you want a range, its 8-12 goals and 1-5 assists, not sure you can just randomly add 5 goals and 5 assists for ranges.

      2. Ruth_NZ
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Sure it would but it's also a bit of a stretch. The last 10 teams promoted via playoffs scored 37 goals on average in the PL the following season. The very best was 45 (West Ham, back in 2013). That's the size of the cake.

        Toney had 31 goals 10 assists in the Championship, so assists were roughly 30% of the goals. If the historical precedent is used he might achieve 10-11 goals, 3-4 assists this season. Anything more and he'll be doing very well indeed.

        I'm not saying he will do well, nor that he won't. Just that the wagon wheels look a bit wobbly to me. 😉

    3. RichRover
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Good work as always

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

      Although Brentford went up via playoff route. They’re not your typical promoted play off team. A GD of +37 pays testament to that.

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

        There’s been so many good strikers to come out of the championship in recent times; Callum Wilson, Ollie Watkins to name but a few

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

          Even Jota!

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

      For me, he is just an enabler (11th men) from whom I'm not expecting much, 2-3 returns over 6-7 games will be fine. If I had extra 1m, then I would surely go for a 7.5m forward instead.

      Expecting anything big from him is likely to end in tears 😀

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

        This.

        Not expecting fireworks from him, just tick over with occasional goals and assists will suit me fine.

      2. Ruth_NZ
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Enabler is a pretty meaningless concept. He's either value for 6.5m or not because that's how much of your budget he is using. 🙂

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Agree with this. I saw someone list their favourite options in categories that included 'good value' and then another one, 'enablers' and I was wondering why they don't pick good value players to 'enable' other picks, or to enable a better score.

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

            I don't see it as meaningless.

            You have 19m for 2 forwards. You really want Kane. To have him you need to settle for Toney to 'enable' that. You see Watkins as better value but if you get him you can't have Kane and settle for Vardy. As a pair, you deem Kane/Toney to be better value than Vardy/Watkins. Thus Toney is an enabler. Sound logic in my book.

            1. Deulofail
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 8 months ago

              You could downgrade midfielder or denfender or GK or another forward to someone who is better value thank Toney, for instance. There's no need to categorise players at all. It's prohimitive to opmimisation if people work in the opposite direction in the 'logic' you've provided, by categorising first, then picking the players, as many people seem to do, or can't avoid (because they buy into the categories too much to ignore them).

              In reality, those categories are not naturally occuring. They are cookie cut by humans from above, and the cookie dough is pulled apart into neat doughy clumps. Then the human forgets that the cookies were all cut from the same cloth. Oops, I mixed my methaphors

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

                But surely we all put 'enabler' defenders in our squads. We'd love to have TAA, Robbo, Dias, Chilwell and Shaw as our back line, but we haven't got them all because we have less-ideal choices that enable better midfielders and strikers. The whole game is about balancing the players we really want with ones who are not our first choice - ie 'enablers'.

                1. Deulofail
                  • 8 Years
                  2 years, 8 months ago

                  Then Robbo is an 'enabler' if you save 0.5 on Trent ot get someone else. Seems pretty meaningless to me.

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

                    If that's your primary motivation for choosing Robbo, then yeh. I'm admitting in other threads that I've dropped Bruno for Sancho, not because I expect Sancho to outscore Bruno, but because he enables me to spend 2.5m elsewhere, and my judgement is that on balance, that will - er, 'enable' me to reach a higher overall points total.

                    1. Deulofail
                      • 8 Years
                      2 years, 8 months ago

                      Okay. So let's list out all the enablers in FPL. That's all players except the 6 most expensive players in the game in their categories.

                      Where's the utility in that?

                      I think you're advocating for the word 'enable' to mean something and be allowed to exist, which I'm totally fine with 😀

                      That's different to using the concept in decision-making, where I think it has not utility, and is likely to be counter-productive.

                      ...but by all means use the word 'enable' to describe how you arrived at a decision. I would be very wary about using the 'enabling' as the reason to own the player though, so describing it in that way would be a red flag for me, if it were me describing it that way. Maybe I need to look more deeply into this player to figure out if they will get me more points in combination with this other new player than my original combination, for example.

                      1. Deulofail
                        • 8 Years
                        2 years, 8 months ago

                        Let's be honest, people aren't using the term to mean "that will 'enable' me to reach a higher overall points total." They use it to mean that will 'enable' me to get Player X/Premium players.

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

                        I'm saying there are no objectively 'enabling' players; they are enablers if your reason for picking them is to enable another player to fit into your squad. Anyway, I think we can agree that it's all semantics - I say enabler, you sat potater, but we pick our squads in much the same way.

                      3. Deulofail
                        • 8 Years
                        2 years, 8 months ago

                        Okay but then you aren't aruing against anything that Ruth or I said... The whole point is that there are no objectively 'enabling' players. The term is meaningless when it comes to making good decisions for that reason.

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

                        Mate, I'm not going to argue for arguments' sake about something I don't even care about. Now come on, have the last word.

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

                        You care!

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

                        Toney 'enables' completion of my favorite starting XI, will that be better? 😉

                      7. Deulofail
                        • 8 Years
                        2 years, 8 months ago

                        Then so does every player in your team! Meaningless!

                      8. Ruth_NZ
                        • 9 Years
                        2 years, 8 months ago

                        Broadly what Deulofail said is what I meant. But what I'm getting at is that the words we use can condition us wrongly.

                        Say you use Toney to 'enable' Bruno. Well, that's the wrong idea. The right question is "what is the best combination of 1M 1F for 18.5m I can find?" If that's Bruno + Toney then fine, Toney is in on merit. But if you think Son + Bamford + 0.5m to spend elsewhere delivers more points then you do that, no?

                        Expand that out and you might realise that your 3-4-3 with Toney and 4.5m bench mid could be a 3-5-2 with Saka and a 4.5m bench forward. Is Toney or Saka a better proposition? Open question.

                        In the end what we want is maximum bang for £100m. Every player we have is a component of that and they each need to justify the investment they carry.

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

          Lets ignore the word enabler than 😀

          Question for me is: Is there any better player I can get for 6.5m in forward or midfield position? or whether I can downgrade to 4.5m forward and get something better in defense/midfield? The answer to both questions till now has been "NO"

          1. Deulofail
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            Fair enough. Makes more sense to me.

            But I would still say that there's no reason to be looking for a 6.5. You're only in that position becaude you've followed the story from 7.5 forward to 6.5 forward, and now looking for 6.5 mids to compare with. The puzzle is more complex and there are more questions to be asked; lots of other combinations to consider 🙂

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

            Right. Well personally I would tip Raphinha and Buendia to outscore Toney over the season. The downside would be you balance it out with a 4.5 non-playing forward at the end of the bench versus a Gilmour or Brownhill on your bench. However, if you have 2 active subs, maybe 4.5 defenders as your other substitutes, your third benchie may not do any harm.

    6. Flair
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Fixtures average for Toney too, Arsenal first up not great and then GW4 onwards not great either.

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

      Personally loved his highlights reel, very reminiscent of Ruud Van Nistelrooy - everything is one touch & shoot - my hunch is that type of finishing style has a much higher chance of transferring up a league than a mazy runner/dribbler who is slaloming past 4 or 5 players in the championship every week (which just doesn't wash in the premiership)

      His 50% goal involvement is the other big draw for me - basically we just need Brentford to score 35-ish goals (from 80 last year) & he's an instant FPL darling - even if they only score 30 and struggle he should still be viable... and if they somehow manage to score 40+? Then Toney is in for a bonanza season….

      But look at the end of the day he's a championship striker as you rightly say (although not many have been as lethal as him in that league, certainly not Bamford or Watkins) so there are question marks there. But I do think he's up there with Bamford & Watkins as being well able to give plenty of Premier League defenders nightmares

      Murray & Mitro did spring to mind for me as extremely profligacy championship strikers who underwhelmed in the PL - but they were very different situations to To eh

      Murray - catastrophically ruptured his cruciate immediately following his 30 goal championship season, and only made 3 starts the following season - was never really the same player after the injury, but was still well able to poach goals in the premier league when fit (see also the “one-touch-bang” finishing style that serves Toney so well - defenders always struggle with these types of players)

      Mitro - after his 26 goal championship campaign he actually got 4 returns in his first 6 starts for Fulham last season… but the rest of his season was ruined with injuries/losing his place & only made 4 starts in the following 22 games and 7 in the remaining 31 games

      And Tammy - will actually be in everyone’s team (ok not literally everyone, but you catch my drift) at 6.5 if he gets a move to somewhere he’s nailed

      With Toney…. My back of an envelope maths isn’t that he should have a good go at 35 appearances, 13 goals, 5 assists, 15 bonus - which is about 150 points - then he could land +/- 10% either side of that if he either has or hasn't got luck on his side

      I'd pencil him into the 135 - 165 range

      But all he needs is an early arsenal lapse in concentration, or a mistake or bit of luck to score in GW1 & we could see a lot of those points being front-end loaded in the season

      No doubt Brentford will go through at least one sticky patch where they'll struggle to score for at least a few games, GW6-9 looks like their toughest sequence so they'll be fighting tooth & nail to get some points (and goals) on the board before that run I'd imagine

      But the other side of that is he has 4 of last years bottom half teams in the first 5 gameweeks seems to have lined up well for him

      But no guarantees with him for sure

    8. avfc82
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Thing is, he doesn't have to be a season keeper, but what I like to do with some of the newly-promoted teams is try and capitalise on that initial momentum, that first game in front of the home fans etc.

      It often wears off, but I never get the 'wait and see' approach.

      Hop on, then hop off if you need to.

      1. avfc82
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Nice opening post by the way, it’s a really interesting talking point as I’m guessing a lot haven’t seen much of him.

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

        Agree with this.

        With the promoted teams, the patient approach can't work. If you miss their hauls, they are usually gone - they don't play for the likes of Liverpool where Salah's chances will continue to come.

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

        I think you are a really good manager so respect to you.

        The aposite point, for me, is that with such players it is always a matter of timing. Having Toney will doubtless be rewarding for a 6-8 week period at some stage of the season (where his price will rocket) and he'll be a big disappointment for another 6-8 period (where his price will drop but not as fast as it would rise).

        The initial momentum thing is a fair comment. But let me offer a counter-example. Tim Krul had an outstanding save % last season for the team with a very solid defence. Could Norwich pull off an unlikely CS or two in the early weeks? Maybe. Probably a Krul haul if so. The argument for having Toney early could equally be applied to Krul then, no?

        1. avfc82
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah, it does for sure, it just depends how you view each of the newly-promoted teams individually.

          For me personally, I have a lot more confidence in Brentford's attack than I do in Norwich's defence, which I see struggling, hence the Toney pick.

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

        @Tom (AVFC)

        I was focusing on teams promoted via playoffs (because that's what Brentford are) so here's more data regarding the season start.

        13/14 Palace lost 9 of their first 10 games, scoring only 6 goals in the process. They were actually one that avoided relegation, finishing 11th after a late-season surge.
        14/15 QPR lost 7 of their first 10 games, scoring 7 goals in the process. They were 19th after 10 games and were relegated in 20th but Charlie Austin was a rare striker success with 18 goals that season including 3 in the first 10 games.
        15/16 Norwich were a bit better, losing 5 and winning 2 of their first 10 games, scoring 14 goals in the process. I guess there was a hint of an initial boost seeing that the two wins came in the first 5 games. They were 16th after 10 and eventually relegated in 19th.
        16/17 Hull lost 7 of their first 10 games, scoring 8 goals in the process, but they did win their first 2, so if that was a fast start it didn't last long at all. Eventually relegated.
        17/18 Huddersfield were unquestionably a fast-start team with a 3-3-4 record in the first 10, including winning their first 2. Only scored 7 in those 10 games though. They were another one that avoided relegation (just).
        18/19 Fulham lost 6 of their first 10 games, scoring 12 goals in the process, and only won one of the first 9. Clearly not a fast start but having the main striker would have been good in this case; Mitrovic scored 5 goals in the first 6 games. Eventually relegated.
        19/20 Villa won 4 of their first 10 games, scoring 16 goals in the process, so this was certainly a fast start. They also avoided relegation but after a mid-season slump they needed (and got) 8 points from their last 4 games to do it.
        20/21 Fulham lost 7 of their first 10 games and didn't manage a win till GW7. They scored 11 goals in the 10 games but this was a team that remained in the bottom-4 all season.

        OK, so can you see your comment about initial momentum being justified here? I can't really. Two of the 8 teams had solid, fast starts; 3 more you could maybe argue either way and 3 clearly didn't. As a group they lost 61% of their opening 10 fixtures and averaged 1 goal scored per game.

        It's an impression that persists (the fast-starting promoted team) but I think that may be because we tend to remember it when it happens because those are 'shock' results but not when it doesn't because it's what we expected anyway. Maybe the automatic promotion teams show a somewhat different curve but I am sticking to the playoff winners here because (a) they are less good by definition and (b) they have a shorter preparation window for the new season.

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

          I think what Tom is saying in terms of why the argument for having Krul isn't as strong as that of Toney - from the perspective of trying to project how a 41 championship-goal-involvement striker will fare in the premier league - its not generically a good start that's important - its just specifically goals scored, and goal involvements

          (i.e. I don't think he was saying he expects for the first few games in every season that literally every player from literally every promoted team will play out of their skins and be viable FPL assets - but promoted teams should score goals with the first few games in front of fans etc & the buzz of promotion still fresh - and if they have a 50% goal involvement striker on their books who has notched 41 goal involvements the prior season... well then that's puntable territory)

          Also - several of those teams above's starts would have been pretty reasonable for FPL purposes in terms of capitalising on goals scored and goal involvements through early adrenaline

          - Norwich 15/16 - scored 8 goals/16 goal involvements* in their first 5 games (Scored 39 for the season)
          - Hull 16/17 - scored 6 goals/12 goal involvements in their first 5 games (Scored 37 for the season)
          - Huddersfield 17/18 - scored 5 goals/10 goal involvements in their first 5 games (Scored 28 for the season)
          - Fulham 18/19 - scored 7 goals/14 goal involvements in their first 5 games (Scored 34 for the season)
          - Villa 19/20 - scored 5 goals/10 goal involvements in their first 5 games (Scored 41 for the season)
          - Fulham - Mitro got 4 returns in his first 6 starts & his season was destroyed by injury (big factor in them only scoring 27 for the season)

          And (crucially) none of these teams had a striker who did what Toney has done with his 41 goal involvements - Murray was the closest with 30 goals scored in Palace's playoff promotion season - but as per above, he ruptured his cruicate in the playoff final and couldn't play the following season - this unquestionably factored into Palace's bad start in 13/14

          The important thing is - we don't even necessarily need Brentford to stay up for Toney to be a good asset - we just need them to score 35-40 goals - the more the better - preferably with at least 7-8 of those coming in the first 5 gameweeks (where he plays 4 of last season's bottom half clubs before a tough fixture run in GW6-9)

          *I'm assuming 1 goal = 2 goal involvements here for estimation purposes - some goals may have no assist & O.G's etc - but they should be the exception rather than the rule

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

            Please don't interpret other people's posts for me, it's patronising to all parties. They can write and I can read.

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

              Then how on earth are you saying the argument for having Toney early could equally be applied to Krul? 😆

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

                *For Tom - he clearly clarified to you that he had more confidence in Brentford's attack than Norwich's defence which is why he wasn't recommeding Krul

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

                  My reply was to his post about initial momentum, not the later one. But maybe you could try not interposing yourself in everything and making it about you. 😕

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

                    This sounds like something you’d hear in American RomCom marriage counselling session 😆

                    Anyways - when you’ve recovered - Have a read of how teams promoted via the playoffs have done in terms of goalscoring in their first 5 games - it’s quite interesting food for thought 😉

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

              And hopefully though your superpower of the ability to read you can now see how the 10-game points tallies of teams promoted through the playoffs is much less relevant as a definition of early momentum than goals scored and goal involvements in their first 5 games 😉

        2. avfc82
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah, but you can’t throw all of the play-off winners into the same basket, they are completely different teams.

          Brentford have had the best attack in the Championship for two seasons running, and given the way they play, I’m confident they will adapt and offer more of a threat going forward than Norwich and Watford.

          FWIW, I don’t invest in all the promoted teams from the off.

          I went with Ayling and Bamford last season, then a Sheff Utd defensive double-up via Dean Henderson and Lundstram the one before.

          They are very carefully selected is what I'm trying to say.

          1. avfc82
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            I do like all of that analysis though, will have a proper read through those numbers later on.

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

            Yep fully agree Tom - it was pretty obvious that you weren't saying you expect for the first few games in every season that literally every player from literally every promoted team will play out of their skins and be viable FPL assets - but rather that promoted teams should score goals with the first few games in front of fans etc & the buzz of promotion still fresh - and if they have a 50% goal involvement striker on their books who has notched 41 goal involvements the prior season...

            And to be fair the goals scored record of the playoff promoted teams the last few years kind of backs that up (albeit they never had a striker with Toney's numbers involved)

            Poor Ruth was just getting a bit confuddled, that's all - she hopefully gets it now though 🙂

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

      Complete abuse of statistics there to use the word "safe" in relation to the Pulis Palace miracle side in 2013 🙂

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

      Nice post

      33 goals though is an awful lot. I'd mirror MBP's point about Murray and Mitro and the fixture run. My other caveat is that Brentford may not have been especially prolific but they do have history in serving their CF really rather well. Maupay was brilliant there and they also made Watkins into a CF from a winger.

      The other point I'm bearing in mind is the price tag. The 6.5 and under selection is a rag tag bunch - full of has-beens and never-quite-weres. It's one slot where I'm most inclined to hop and off if I go there and chase form/points. Pukki, Welbeck. King/Deeney even Tekkers could well provide excellent value in flashes.

      As it stands I'm closer to Mbeumo as a cheaper makeweight but nothing decided so far.

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Could make it easier for premier league teams to work Brentford out if their main plan is to serve their CF?

    11. jia you
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      agree, not touching him until I see how Brentford adapt to the Prem...these unpredictable bandwagons grow wheels quickly on here but there are plenty of proven alternatives to choose from

    12. WHUFCSmith23
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      The biggest thing putting me off is the massive ownership, if he doesn't score in the first 2 weeks the casual players will jump off in droves. It makes it harder to move off of him with a price drop.

      Looking at all his goals last season he scored a lot of penalties and a lot of headers. I wouldn't expect Brentford to get as many free kicks, corners and penalties this season personally.

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

      The other thing with Toney is - and this is big - if you *do* decide to take a punt - for the love of god do not listen to the FFS opinion boards during the Arsenal match

      Because one thing you can guarantee is - as soon as he gets to 30-40 minutes without a goal the wisened old owls of FFS boards will start to pass judgement that he is “awful”, “dreadful”… and heaven forbid he get to 80 minutes without a goal as that’s when the “he’s a championship striker, he has to go” talk will start

      It was the exact same with Bamford & Watkins all season - as soon as they get to a half of football without scoring, the knives were out and they were absolutely slated on here, before returning again within a game or two, almost without fail

      Give Toney the first 5 games if you are punting - if he’s underwhelmed, so be it and the GW6-9 fixture run looks a good time to hop off

      What you don’t want is to listen to the match day nonsense on here & sell him before a double return vs either palace, Villa, Brighton or Wolves - you may as well just stay away from the start if you can’t handle the first 5 imo

      1. jia you
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        I like this and many on here should listen...match day comments are nonsense and the comments following the hangover of the asset's blank leading to jumping on the next hopeful punt is not much better...I comment on this as it's something I've been poor at in previous seasons, not giving an asset a fair chance...then again there is a thin line between this and giving an asset too much time (this happened to me with two assets in the past, Alli & Sane, where I held onto them for way too long and it ruined my season in a way).

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

      Sheffield Leeds and Wolves all secured mid table finishes after promotion

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

        Were any of them promoted via the playoffs? 😆

        I did make it clear that was the comparison I was making.

      2. jia you
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Brentford are a far cry from those three teams now lets be fair!

    15. Yankee Toffee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Pukki might be a better option in that price range imho.

    16. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Toney looks good value to me at £6.5m.

      Personally think a lot of the value is in midfield, but you have to pick three strikers and play at least one so Toney looks good for one of the three striker slots.

    17. SAY MY NAME
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I haven't been on here for quite a while, but i do find these kind of threads quite interesting, bit more of people's thoughts as to why player x might or might not do well or have potential, rather than the rmts, and x player good, x player bad stuff - i think that Toney definitely has potential to do reasonably well, maybe even match some of the 7.5m forwards (although not necessarily as Brentford obviously an unknown quantity atm in premier league terms) - for me it might just be that i'm more willing to take a punt on Toney than make that 1m sacrifice somewhere else in my team, i could change my mind though - if the Haaland/Kane transfers happen then i guess a lot of people will be ripping up their drafts and starting again anyway

      There is always an attraction of an unknown player that people think he could be the answer to their dreams, which is almost never the case, but if i pick Toney and he gets a couple of goals/assists in the first few gws then that would do - there are still risks with the 'proven' 7-8m strikers which can give some credence to the philosophy of wanting to 'punt' on someone new in a hungry promoted side. Atm i'm going with 3 mid-price strikers, probably Watkins but might want to drop him after gw3, i like Antonio but don't want the injury risk, i like Iheanacho but don't yet know if he's 100% starter with Barnes back and a new striker signed for Leicester, Wilson is good but like Antonio is prone to injury, Bamford a bit pricey when i can get Harrison or Raphinha for much less, DCL has nice fixtures but so often disappoints when you expect him to do well in nice fixtures - so maybe there is room for Toney afterall, we'll see....

  16. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Thoughts on this draft?

    Bachmann Foster
    TAA Shaw Lamptey Ayling White
    Salah Bruno Son Raphinha ESR
    Watkins Toney 4.5

    Plan is to rotate ESR and the 4.5 defs for 2 spots each week.

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

    Is Lamptey even nailed?

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

      I am not sure, so not having him at the start.

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

        Same.

  18. Art Vandelay
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Can someone tell me what the plug-in is that puts the next five games (yellow, green, orange etc) under a player on the FPL site. I’ve seen it on a few videos and looks really useful.

      1. Art Vandelay
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        That’s it. many thanks Holmes

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

    Can’t decide on:

    A) Cancelo ESR
    B) Raphinha 5.0-4.5m

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

      B

      Not sure about both options in A

  20. Rochdale_Cowboy
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Sancho - this years DVB.

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

      Could give you a hundred reasons why that's daft, but I assume you're trolling.

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

        He'll be 9.4 after game week 3. Decent player, but completely over priced and hyped

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

          Or he could be 9.7 after GW3. You're missing the fact that Bruno can elevate any player.

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

            Mystic cowboy predicts

            GW 5: most common transfer Sancho - Greenwood.

        2. Sgt Frank Drebin
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Sancho is a great player and only 20 years old, great deal from United. However, when it comes to FPL I will probably wait a couple of GWs before getting him. Not sure if he will be straight away in the starting 11.

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

      Not really, as DVB really was bought solely as a Pogba replacement but I guess United were blindsided by not actually being able to sell Pogba last year.

      Sancho is bought to play in a position they are definitely lacking in (his "competition" is Greenwood and Dan James), and he'll be played till he succeeds given his price tag.

  21. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Morning.....what do we think is the best option here please?

    A...Bruno and sarr and 0.5m

    B....mahrez and sancho

    Thanks

  22. caldracula
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Are people realistically expecting European finalists back in GW1?

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

      Nope - not all of them

      1. caldracula
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Seeing a lot of Luke Shaw, is he expected to be ready?

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

          I doubt it

    2. Flair
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Yeah, not certain Sancho starts with the late return - Martial/Pogba on the left, Greenwood on the right is possible.

      1. caldracula
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        What happens to Lingard if he stays at Utd?

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

          Benchwarming duties

    3. Rochdale_Cowboy
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Kane rested during most of the tournament , so should be OK.

      1. caldracula
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        I think if Kane moves then you have to go without, ownership will be ridiculous and budget will be so tight that most people will be in the same cheap options to enable it.

      2. caldracula
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Didn’t he play almost every minute?

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

          I didn't notice him!

          1. caldracula
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            Oh, good one.

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

    Which one would you pick?

    1. Sanchez + Coufal
    2. Meslier + 4.5 def

    1. caldracula
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Probably A if you don’t own a BRI DEF

  24. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone tempted more by KDB rather than Fernandes? Looks like Bruno is a must for many, but looking at the stats, KDB was at 0.9 xG + xA/90 minutes (top in the PL) and Fernandes was on 0.77 xG+xA (5th). There is uncertainty over KDB taking pens, but looking at his non-penalty xG+xA, he still beats Fernandes (0.79 xG+xA). So in my opinion, to decide between them it goes to down to fixtures, however we would have to assume that Man United will receive a similar number of penalties as last season (Bruno's non penalty xG+xA is actually pretty poor for a premium asset), which is a huge unknown for me.

    In general, penalties United receive is a curious phenomenon. In the 3 seasons between 2015 and 2018 they received in 10 penalties in total, while between 2018 and 2021 they got 37 penalties (!!). Quite unbelievable. If someone has any interesting article or idea what has an influence on penalties, I would be glad to hear. So, I think KDB is imho a safer option, because for Fernandes we would need to assume that they will keep receiving penalties at this rate, which is not 100% sure. Or in other words, imho they are higher chances that it will revert to the mean, rather than increase even more (on the other hand in 2019/2020 they got as much as 14 penalties, in the last season "only" 11).

    But as I say, it may come down to fixtures. In the first 4 fixtures Bruno rotates better with Salah for captaincy than KDB. If you went Salah + KDB, in GW4 you would need to captain either Salah vs Leeds (A) or KDB vs Leicester (A), while United plays Newcastle at home.

    1. Sgt Frank Drebin
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      After GW6 United has some tough fixtures, so it would be possible to switch Bruno to KDB or Kane. Thoughts? What do you think? Is KDB flying a bit under the radar or Bruno is a must-have for the start of the season?

      1. Sgt Frank Drebin
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Sorry for mistakes, but I accidentally hit "publish" button before reading what I wrote.

    2. Rochdale_Cowboy
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Nope. Bruno and Salah are GW1 to GW 38 must haves unless you're a casual....

      1. Lanley Staurel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Its the casuals you keep the same players for 38 GWs

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

      KDB will not be ready for GW1

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

      I am. If there are doubts about Kev's fitness, I may start with Bruno for GW1, but my squad has this power-midfield:
      Salah, KDB, Sancho, Jota, Raphinha. That's with TAA and Shaw at the back. Naff all up top, admittedly.

      1. Sgt Frank Drebin
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Interesting. The midfield looks great for me. I was trying to fit Sancho in for Grealish, but it was a bit difficult for me without scarifying either TAA or some 7.5 forward. Was trying something like this:
        Sanchez
        TAA - Shaw - Digne - Lamptey - 4.0
        Salah - KDB - Sancho - Jota - Raphinha
        Iheanacho - Welbeck - 4.5

        But still 1.5m short. Would need to downgrade Nacho to Toney and either Shaw or Digne, which is not perfect solution. My other concern is that by going with 5 mids we're stuck with 4.5m forward (Davis), which I also don't like, but on the other hand the is so much value in midfield, it's hard to pass on any of Jota, Raphinha or Grealish and go with midfield 4.

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

          Yeah, Nacho to Toney is what I've got. The front 3 are Toney, Welbeck and Obafemi. Embarrassing.

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

            Ultimate template crusher that frontline - well done mate.

            May need to rethink my Jiminez 🙂

          2. Flair
            • 3 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            Hate that frontline. With the amount of viable options in the 7.5-8M bracket with fixtures, pedigree, nailedness and proven performers I don't think any team should be ignoring them

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

              I probably won't keep it long, but you can see it another way. With the bunch of forwards between 8.5 and 6.5, it's pretty much a lottery which ones thrive and which ones dive. If I sit back for 3 or 4 GWs and let them sort themselves out whilst raking in midfielder points, I can move on to a more balanced squad on my WC.

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

                It really isn't a lottery, every one of them could do very well. There's no guarantee you'll be "raking in the midfielder points" either.

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

                  What I mean is we can talk about the relative merits of Watkins and Iheanacho until the cows come home (and all the others). Which one scores the most points in the first 4 weeks is, at this moment in time, a lottery imo. Anyway, I'm asking you to rate my squad, I was just responding to the Sgt's post.

          3. Sgt Frank Drebin
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            Maybe on paper it doesn't look that great, but both Toney and Welbeck has potential to be a good value imho. I guess the question should be what is worth more: Toney & Raphinha or Nacho & ESR. Or Welbeck & Sancho vs Antonio & Grealish. Or TAA & Welbeck vs Digne & Wilson. In any way, I wouldn't call it embarrassing to be honest.

  25. caldracula
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Seeing a lot of people mention the option for 5.5 and 4.5 DEF, I actually think 5.0 has the best options.

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

    Ayling or Fofana to start with?

    1. caldracula
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Ayling

    2. Lanley Staurel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Fofana. Leicester quality and Leeds regression.

  27. WHUFCSmith23
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Do we think Welbeck may be a starter?

    1. caldracula
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Possibly, but even if he does I’d he a good option?

      1. WHUFCSmith23
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        For my set up it's either him or Toney. Toney feels like a price drop risk. Don't need that early doors but they have given us so few options. I like Fabio Silva but obviously need to see how Wolves line up under the new manager.

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

    I have 15 mil to spend on two strikers and already have Watkins. Who should I go for. One of them could be a bench player. Any suggestions?

    1. Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      If one of them can be a bench player, I might as well go Vardy and 4.5.

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

      For me probably Bamford or Cavani with Toney.

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

      Cheers

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

    Query

    Would Sancho on the right at United make AWB a better alternative than he now looks - especially in comparison with Shaw. Last season United were I understand a very lopsided team funnelling most everything down the left where their best attacking talent was. Shaw is clearly a better attacking talent than AWB but did he benefit from that lopsided approach?

    If Sancho starts on the right then I'd assume the imbalance will be corrected somewhat and as Sancho typically works in conjunction with a FB overlapping then might AWB get into more promising attacking situations. Shaw still gets the set pieces but might AWB increase his share of open play situations - he actually did pretty well there last season anyway.

    Possible of course that the opposite will arise and Sancho wlll not improve AWB but AWB worsen Sancho 🙂

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

      My hunch is it will enhance AWB's prospects, although that doesn't mean it would adversely impact Shaw as the pie would be bigger. I'd still favour Shaw, but a double-up in defence of Shaw and AWB after a few weeks might not be ridiculous.

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

      I can’t see it hurting AWB anyways, put it that way - against bottom half teams I think the oppositions left backs & left wingers will immediately be more on the back foot with Sancho coming at them, which should in turn take some pressure off AWB and free him up a bit to get more crosses in

      As we were saying the other day - AWB’s attacking returns were actually a statistical miracle

      7 returns from 3.5 XGi was bonkers

      In 500 fewer minutes, Shaw got more than double the XGi (7.2) but 1 less return (6)

      So in isolation - you’d expect big attacking output regression from AWB & potentially big progression from Shaw

      But the practicality may be different, Sancho may help AWB sustain a level of 5-7 attacking returns - I think going to 10 is a stretch for him, whereas it’s totally within Shaw’s reach if he avoids injury

    3. Sgt Frank Drebin
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Hmm, those Trippier to United roumors now make sense to me. Sancho would need some overlapping and support and Wan-Bissaka isn't that great at that (imho). And good spot that Shaw may actually not be so attacking if United shift to attack more from the right flank.

  30. farmerfat
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    The confirmation bias around here is real today!

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      You would say that - as someone who was confirmed as a child

    2. Flair
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      It's only going to get worse 😆 Sancho's arrival has finally shaken up the month long template, and many on the sides for and against having him will be employing a heavy dose of confirmation bias as the days drag on.