We hear from one of the most successful Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers in the world ahead of Gameweek 13: the Fantasy Football Scout Hall of Fame number seven, Jon Ballantyne.
Jon has remarkably finished inside the top 1,000 in each of his last three seasons, having posted a further three top 20k overall ranks across his five other campaigns playing FPL.
After a score of 79 points in Gameweek 12, my overall rank improved to 50,397th – a healthy position for this stage of the season. With the hectic Christmas fixture schedule just around the corner, there will be plenty of opportunities to harness a competitive advantage as we navigate quick-fire fixture swings and manage the increased rotation risks.
Over the last few days, we’ve learned how irrelevant a static transfer plan can be, with further injuries and rotation doubts for several key players. I’ll be sharing my reactive transfer plans below while the injury news is relatively fresh. I hope you enjoy it!
GAMEWEEK 13 ASSESSMENT
Moving into Gameweek 13, I have some immediate concerns to address. Firstly, the most relatable for other managers out there, involves Phil Foden (£8.3m). With uncertainty surrounding his current injury status, I’m less incentivised to hold him in the short-term and, as we look ahead, I expect further uncertainty regarding Pep Guardiola’s line-up over the festive fixture schedule. With that in mind, it seems reasonable to target a safer prospect and potentially unlock funds in the process.
Secondly, Kieran Tierney (£4.8m) remained on the bench for Arsenal in Gameweek 12 without a known injury designation. There is speculation that Nuno Tavares (£4.3m) will make way for him when Arsenal face Newcastle United on Saturday but, with no degree of certainty, this does weaken Tierney as a prospect, especially given the fragile state of my team’s bench.
Finally, while it doesn’t concern my team, Ben Chilwell (£6.0m) will miss the remainder of the year with a suspected ACL injury. It’s widely believed that Marcos Alonso (£5.6m) will move into Thomas Tuchel’s line-up with little competition. With his accessible price point, comparably strong attacking output and security in his position, he stands out as someone I would like to target.
2 years, 11 months agoWhat to do? 2FT 0.0 ITB, likely Foden and Chilwell that need replaced. Going for Alonso, James or Rudiger is the question in defence… and midfielder?
Ramsdale (Steele)
TAA Cancelo Chilwell** (Livramento Manquillo)
Salah Jota Foden* ESR (McArthur)
Vardy Jimenez Toney