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.
