FPL

The best FPL defenders for a Gameweek 8 Wildcard

Having looked at the stand-out Fantasy Premier League (FPL) goalkeepers, midfielders and forwards for Gameweek 8 and beyond, we now switch focus to the pick of the defenders.

This is an update of the series we did for Gameweek 7 Wildcarders, with fresh data and a couple of new targets for those deploying their chip this week.

However, it will also be of interest for those using ‘free’ transfers ahead of Gameweek 8.

All stats and graphics included in this piece are taken from our Premium Members Area.

CHELSEA DEFENDERS

Fit-again Watkins can return to 2020/21 form in Villa's new-look 3-5-2 formation 3

If you’re playing a Wildcard right now, the chances are that you’re structuring your defence around at least one Chelsea asset.

The Blues have a very favourable fixture schedule ahead, with three of their next four opponents – plus Watford in Gameweek 14 – among the worst teams for goals scored in 2021/22.

And Thomas Tuchel’s troops are (usually) solid at the back, with their league record under their current boss excellent:

Played26
Goals conceded16
Clean sheets17

So which defender(s) to pick? That will probably boil down to what brand of Fantasy manager you are.

For the safety-first FPL bosses, there aren’t any Chelsea defenders who have escaped a benching under Tuchel to date and there will be more rotation further down the line for all of them. However, Cesar Azpilicueta (£6.0m) has started a lot more league matches than not when available under Tuchel (circa 90% when available), with his versatility in playing at either wing-back or as a right-sided centre-half giving him two bites of the cherry at a first-team start.

Marcos Alonso’s (£6.0m) ownership now sits at 25.4%, but the previously peripheral Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) is getting more and more minutes as 2021/22 goes on, which does create uncertainty in the left wing-back role.

CHELSEA DEFENDERS UNDER TUCHEL

PlayerStartsSub AppsGoals AssistsClean SheetsBonusPoints per match
Rudiger220201395.09
Azpilicueta2311412134.92
Christensen1520011104.76
Silva12210694.07
Chilwell12022645.58
Alonso14232995.88
James15713693.50

Reece James (£5.5m) is also a major source of discussion. Up there with Alonso as Chelsea’s most attacking defender, James has created more chances (27) than any other member of the Blues’ backline under Tuchel. But he has also been thrown on as a substitute on seven occasions, as many times as the other six players in the above table combined. The raft of cameos reduces his points-per-match average to a fairly poor 3.50, along with his early exits in Gameweeks 4 and 6 of the current campaign.

If FPL managers are going for a Chelsea defender double-up, then Azpilicueta and a riskier punt on James or Chilwell would seem to be the way to go – but beware the one-pointers and have a strong bench in readiness for no-shows.

RUBEN DIAS/JOAO CANCELO

Gameweek 8 marks the start of a favourable, three-match fixture run for Manchester City and if you’re deploying your Wildcard this week, you’ll likely want a defender or two from Pep Guardiola’s rearguard.

Top for clean sheets in the previous two seasons and averaging 18.5 shut-outs per year in the last four campaigns, this is a proven backline.

Following his assist at Stamford Bridge in Gameweek 6, Joao Cancelo (£6.2m) is now top among FPL defenders for points this season. Ruben Dias (£6.2m), who like Cancelo is an ever-present starter in 2021/22 and who was the defender least at risk of rotation last year, is joint-second.

These two are probably the stand-out picks from the City defence.

Dias was benched in only one league match from his Gameweek 4 debut to Gameweek 30 (the point at which Guardiola started focusing on the Champions League and FA Cup, with the domestic title sewn up) last season, and even that was because he had just recovered from illness.

Over the same period, Cancelo tasted substitute duty on six occasions. He’s a less secure starter but does have the advantage of playing at both right and left-back, and he’s a darn sight more attacking that Dias.

Since the league debut of Dias, Cancelo narrowly outscores his fellow premium defender by 182-181 despite the extra no-shows.

A word on Aymeric Laporte (£5.5m): he has 10 shots in the box this season and is a real threat from set plays.

But while Laporte seems settled as Dias’ partner-in-crime for now, Guardiola has historically only built his defence around one centre-half mainstay. John Stones (£5.3m) ultimately represents a threat to Laporte’s place, so the same ‘have a substitute ready’ caveat applies to the Spaniard as it does to Cancelo.

TINO LIVRAMENTO

Jimenez ends goal drought as Arsenal claim convincing north London derby win 7

We’ve been treated to a whole host of starting £4.0m-ish defenders in 2021/22 so far but the cream of the crop is starting to rise, seven Gameweeks in.

The likes of Kostas Tsimikas (£4.0m) and Daniel Amartey (£4.0m) are no longer getting regular game-time, while Javier Manquillo (£4.0m) and Brandon Williams (£4.0m) are playing for two of the worst backlines in the division.

Shane Duffy (£4.4m), who has registered more shots in the box than any other defender this season, is deserving of a mention. His form has been generally superb since his return to the Brighton XI and it’s perhaps his shirt to lose now but the return from injury of Tariq Lamptey, Joel Veltman and, soon, Adam Webster (all £4.4m) will swell the defensive options available to Graham Potter.

Enter Valentino Livramento (£4.2m).

The teenage right-back is an ever-present starter this season and has been part of a Saints backline that has shut out Manchester City and West Ham United in the last four Gameweeks.

Encouragingly, Southampton rise to second in our Season Ticker from Gameweeks 8-18.

Livramento doesn’t just offer clean sheet potential but a bit of attacking threat, too: he’s sits second among £4.5m-and-under defenders for final-third touches this season (see below).

Ralph Hasenhuttl will be wary of overloading the 18-year-old and the odd benching may be a concern from Gameweek 13 onwards, when Saints face nine league matches in the space of five weeks.

For now, though, fixtures and form seem to be uniting at an opportune time.

KIERAN TIERNEY

Is this to be Kieran Tierney‘s (£4.9m) year? After delivering 45 attacking returns in 170 appearances for Celtic, many of us have been waiting (and waiting and waiting…) for the current Arsenal left-back to recapture that form in FPL.

A strong chance of a clean sheet is a good base to start for any defender, and Tierney has three in the last four Gameweeks as Arsenal’s backline begins to look solid with first-choice personnel available again after an August decimated by injury and illness.

No team has conceded fewer goals and big chances than the Gunners over the last four Gameweeks, and while the calibre of opposition has to be factored in, Mikel Arteta’s side face more of the same sorts of teams between now and the November international break.

And as Lateriser pointed out in his recent Arsenal analysis, the Gunners have been solid dating back to last season; this isn’t just a kneejerk reaction to the last four games.

Why Tierney over his peers? If you can afford it, simply because he’ll offer the best chance of delivering attacking returns.

Tierney has received the ball twice as often as opposite full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu (£4.6m) in the final third since the latter’s debut, with the Japan international more of a ‘stay at home’ brand of full-back – even if he has had the same number of shots as Tierney.

Tomiyasu and Ben White (£4.4m) are very decent cheaper alternatives to the Scot, who look like week-in, week-out starters especially as the Gunners don’t have the sideshow distraction of the Europa League.

For those who love their budget defender rotation, pairing White with Matthew Lowton (£4.4m) gives the following run of favourable fixtures right the way through to the end of the calendar year: CRY, sou, BRE, WAT, CRY, NEW, wol, new, SOU, WAT, lee, nor, WOL.

Burnley’s defence is some way short of being solid (just one clean sheet this season) but they have had a tricky start, fixture-wise, and Lowton is joint-third among his teammates for chances created in 2021/22.

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD

Salah on target as Liverpool assets prosper at Leeds 1

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) is available for Gameweek 8, when the Reds face Watford.

The England right-back has averaged a whopping 7.33 points per match over his last 15 Premier League matches, delivering eight attacking returns, four double-digit hauls and only two blanks.

While Chelsea and City may boast better short-term fixtures, Alexander-Arnold produced a combined 21 points against two of Liverpool’s less-favourable upcoming opponents, Arsenal and Manchester United, in Gameweeks 30 and 35 of 2020/21.

Joint-top and second among defenders for both chances created and shots attempted, Alexander-Arnold has been one of the very best, if not the best, defensive options in the game for quite some time.

ALSO CONSIDER

If we knew for sure that Aston Villa will persist with a wing-back system, Matthew Cash (£5.1m) would be a name to consider.

Since Cash took up that role in Gameweek 4, only one FPL defender has registered more penalty box touches.

The formation switch has served to make the Villa defence more robust, too, with two clean sheets arriving in their last three fixtures.

Whether Smith sticks with a 3-5-2 in the easier fixtures ahead is another question – particularly with the likes of Emiliano Buendia (£6.4m) and especially Leon Bailey (£6.4m) to crowbar into the team. It goes without saying that Villa had looked more suspect at the back without a third centre-half and three across the midfield, so that has to be a consideration.

If you have the luxury of benching a budget defender until Gameweek 10 or so, then a Brentford asset is worthy of consideration.

One of the better-performing backlines until the six-goal thriller against Liverpool, the Bees sit top of our Season Ticker from Gameweeks 10-19.

Pontus Jansson (£4.6m) and Ethan Pinnock (£4.6m) will supplement their clean sheets with the additional goal or assist and indeed already have four attacking returns between them.

Marcal‘s (£4.6m) grip on a first-team spot looks to be weakening by the week, so Nelson Semedo (£4.9m) is our Wolves asset of choice for their ongoing favourable run. Only a few defenders have had more penalty box touches than the gung-ho wing-back, who continues to be presented with – and spurn – some excellent goalscoring chances.

1,021 Comments Post a Comment
  1. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Best Son replacement for 2-3 GWs for a hit?

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      KDB

    2. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      None. Trust your bench. Wait for confirmation

      That's what I'm doing, especially without a WC

      Except if you can go up to Mané or KDB, there are issues everywhere else that make the hit just too risky, this week only

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        White off the bench then

    3. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Is Son out?

  2. Erez Avni
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Sa
    Cancelo White Azpi Liver (Rudi)
    Salah Benrahma Raphinha (Sar Silva)
    Antonio Lukaku Jimenez

    A. Azpi to TAA
    B. Rudi to Robi
    C. Rudi to Dias
    D. Rudi & Sar to TAA & Mbuemo (-4)

    cheers

    1. Squib
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      C or D depending

  3. Cantonascollar7
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Morning all!

  4. cruzex
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Laporte or walker?

    1. Cantonascollar7
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Laporte, more attacking threat

    2. George James
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I went Walker as feels more nailed

  5. Tronity
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    A) Lukaku and James
    B) Vardy and Azpi

    Also, Foden or Mahrez as Son replacement?

    1. Ross Geller
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A. Lukaku is a must for me. And Foden longterm. Although Mahrez is better pick this gameweek

  6. Cantonascollar7
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Morning all!

    1. soup natsi
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Morning Cantona Scholar 7

  7. Jebiga
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Who to play:

    1. Livramento

    or

    2. Raphinha

    ?

    * Raphinha played last game match at 2:30 am. 12 hours is flight from Brazil to UK. Is it possible to play even 1 minute ?

    1. Cantonascollar7
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      1

  8. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Bottomed sorry

    Thought son this? Will transfer City mid least likely to start next game out for Raph next week and then the other to son when he is ready

    Ramsdale // Foster
    TAA Cancelo James // Duffy Livra
    Salah Mahrez Foden Townsend ESR
    Lukaku Armstrong // Toney

  9. Cantonascollar7
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Sanchez
    Alonso TAA Cancelo Livramento
    Salah Jota Greenwood Mbeumo
    Ronaldo Antonio

    Steele, Gilmour, Dennis, Williams

    Already on a - 4
    Should I do one of the following...
    A) Leave as is!
    B) Wildcard
    C) Any other suggestions?

  10. ratski
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Almost there on WC I think ...
    Ramsdale foster
    Taa, Christensen, cancelo, Duffy, Livra
    Salah, raph, mbeubo, gray, luiz
    Vardy, Lukaku, Antonio

    Wondering if should improve on gray / mbeuno and downgrade vardy.

    1. ratski
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Or punty FC
      Ramsdale foster
      Taa, James, cancelo, Duffy, Livra
      Salah, raph, foden, silvab, luiz
      Toney, Lukaku, Antonio

    2. Cantonascollar7
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes I would, wouldn't want Luiz, Gray and Mbeumo. Downgrade Vardy to Hwang, Jimi or Armstrong

      1. ratski
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        I think that's my problem I don't like any of those striker options. Luiz is third sub most weeks.

    3. Erange
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I love the Vardy pick. I think Vardy is a much better choice than upgrading Gray/Mbeumo to Foden/Mount/Saka/Jota/... It also enables you to get Son in the future very easily if you wish to.

  11. AdamJ91
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    1) Walker, Mount, Armstrong
    2) White, Saka, Werner

  12. Starskyb
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    OK - So do we believe the Son rumour? Should I shift him on? Newcastle is a great fixture if it's all just been made up!!

  13. winchester
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    on WC. GTG? Have 3.1m itb. cheers!

    ramsdale (foster)
    taa-cancelo-james (duffy-livra)
    salah(c)-mount*-mbeumo (luiz-raph)
    antonio-lukaku-hwang*

    A) GTG. mount->son with the cash when son is fit. (latest for gw12)
    B) mount+hwang->esr+vardy

    Start:
    1) Duffy
    2) Livra

  14. kysersosa
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ballers, WC Draft G2G?

    Ram
    Taa/Christensen/Dias/Cancelo
    (S)alah/Raph/Mount
    Armstrong/Rom/Antonio

    Foster/ESR/Liv/Brownhill

    0.6 ITB

    TIA

    1. Jebiga
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Raphinha played last game match at 2:30 am. 12 hours is flight from Brazil to UK. Is it possible to play even 1 minute ?

  15. Redranger
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    GTG? Or any transfers I should be making

    Sanchez
    TAA, White, Duffy
    Salah (C), Sarr, Jota, Raphina
    Ronaldo, Antonio, Toney

    Livramento, Gilmore, Rudiger. 1FT & 1.6m ITB.

  16. Sharkytect
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Anyone considering rudiger > James?
    Would be good to have an idea of injury timescale with rudiger

  17. The Ilfordian
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Raphinhia scored twice against Uruguay last night. Did he;-

    A) race to the nearest bar for a celebratory pina colada or

    B) hair to the airport to make sure he’s on the pitch the next day to continue this goal scoring bonanza

  18. Sid07
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Have ramsdale as keeper, who to get on wc
    1) white
    2) duffy

    1. Cantonascollar7
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      White

  19. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Have not been on since yesterday.

    What is up with Son?

    1. Arctic monkeys
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Covid +

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Why is he not flagged though? Also no news of this available.

        1. Arctic monkeys
          • 10 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Rumoured from some trusted spurs twitter accounts

    2. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Two Spuds are confirmed to have covid. Rumours have spread that one is Son. Nothing is confirmed.

  20. Monster Muppets
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Any chelsea fans that know why Tuchel hasn't tested Chilwell as left CB behind Alonso - given the lack of leftfooted defenders + his defensive strengths

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I suspect he will go Alonso over Chilwell to help compete with the powerful Brentford set pieces especially with both Rudiger and Silva absent.

      I would expect a back five of

      James Azpi Christensen Chalobah Alonso

      1. Utopsis
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        This sits somewhere between sound logic and wishful thinking

  21. Zion
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    A) Azpi and Saka
    or
    B) James and Foden

    Have Rudiger and Dias already. Seeing Foden in a lot of teams, would normally steer clear of the Pep roulette. But the knees are shaking

  22. john25
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Hey guys, Grealish likely to start this GW?

    Cheers

    1. Hint
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Hope so. I brought him in for Jota last night, think Grealish is more likely.

  23. BENOIT
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Nothing
    Has
    Been
    Confirmed
    Regarding
    Son.

    1. winchester
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      on WC. GTG? Have 3.1m itb. cheers.

      ramsdale (foster)
      taa-cancelo-james (duffy-livra)
      salah(c)-mount*-mbeumo (luiz-raph)
      antonio-lukaku-hwang*

      A) GTG. mount->son with the cash when son is fit. (latest for gw12)
      B) mount+hwang->esr+vardy

      Start:
      1) Duffy
      2) Livra

  24. George James
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    I have done Rudiger >> Walker and instantly regretting it.

    Any other Walker owners out there?…. 🙁

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Should have been Laporte if you don’t have Cancelo

      1. George James
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah cheers

  25. gme3twenty
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Need to play one of the following….

    A. Gray, vs west ham
    B. Benrahma, vs Everton
    C. Sarr, vs Liverpool.

    1. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A

    2. gme3twenty
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Supposed to say play two

  26. Big_Andy_GAWA
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Hi All,

    Have been in A&E for hours and have had lots time to ponder trannies. Started off with intending to do Jota to either Foden or Grealish, but could be burned by the one I pick not starting. I have now thought of doing Sarr & Williams to Mbuemo & Tierney.

    Thoughts on that? Pretty much guarantees me 11 to play as have Rudiger and Raph. Mbuemo I'd be wanting to get in v.soon, anyway...

    Thanks.

    1. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Sounds good to me. Or White instead of Tierney if you want to bank some cash?
      Now get back to pondering trannies.

      1. Big_Andy_GAWA
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Like Tierney's assist potential over White, TBH.

  27. Boss Hogg
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Order these 3 for this gw:

    a. Jota
    b. Sarr
    c. Livra

    1. Big_Andy_GAWA
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A or C and B last?

  28. tryf88
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Sanchez
    Alonso, Christensen, TAA
    Raph, Salah, Jota, Gray, Sarr
    Ronaldo, Antonio

    1FT, £1.3m ITB
    Struggling with 2 risky Chelsea defenders, got burned previous GW,
    Alonso or Christensen out for Cancelo?
    or Raph to Foden just this GW?

    Any help would be appreciated!

    1. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Who are you other defs? If it’s Livra and Duffy you are laughing mate.

      1. tryf88
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Livra, Amartey (sadly)

        1. Boss Hogg
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Sarr and Amartay to ESR and Cancelo?

  29. BoomXhakaLaca1
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Foden or Grealish and why?

    1. Athletico Underachieving
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I’ve gone Grealish mainly due to nailedness so far…also feel he’ll be revved up after Tuesday nights subbing

  30. Lord of Ings
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Bench one of
    A)Jota
    B)Sarr
    C)Raphinha
    Currently on C

    1. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Start C - if he’s in the squad he’ll play from the start. Then Jota.